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Ex  Libris 

Essays  of  a   Collector 


By 
Charles   Dexter  Allen 


WnU   TWENTT-ONE    COPPERPLATE    PRINTS 


I    VTCRESCIT 


Boston  and  New  York 

Lamson,  WolfFe,  and  Company 

London 
M  DCCC  XCVI 


Copyright,  1896, 
By  Lamson,  WolfFe,  and  Company. 


All  rights  reserojed. 

LIBRARY 
SCHOOL 


The  Norivood  Press 

J.  S.   Gushing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith 

Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


GIFT 


To  Frances 


132 


Preface 

In  putting  forth  this  little  book  it  is  not  my 
intention  to  furnish  complete  lists  of  the  works  of 
different  engravers,  lists  of  the  book-plates  of  any- 
given  period  or  nationality,  or  indeed  any  kind  of  a 
reference  book  for  the  collector. 

My  purpose  is  merely  to  set  down  in  somewhat 
desultory  and  rambling  fashion  certain  facts  and 
incidents  in  history  and  biography  which  are  asso- 
ciated with  the  users  of  some  book-plates  of  partic- 
ular interest,  and  to  show  by  such  means  in  what 
the  charm  of  the  book-plate  consists.  In  addition 
to  the  rich  stores  of  historical  and  biographical  lit- 
erature which  the  noteworthy  book-plates  inspire 
one  to  delve  in,  there  are  interesting  features  which 
the  student  of  genealogy  and  the  lover  of  heraldry 
will  recognize.  These,  as  pertaining  rather  to  the 
scientific  and  technical  side  of  the  subject,  I  leave 
untouched    in    these    pages,    as    the    investigation 


Vlll 


Preface 


and   publication   of  those   branches   belong   to   the 
specialist. 

In  the  preparation  of  these  remarks  my  own 
collection  has  been  principally  drawn  upon  and  has 
furnished  the  greater  part  of  my  material,  while  in 
the  published  works  of  other  writers  upon  this 
subject  I  have  found  both  confirmation  of  many  of 
my  own  theories  and  suggestions  which  have  led 
to  further  research. 

C.  D.  A. 

Hartford,  October,  1896. 


Contents 


Introduction        ........ 

(An  Address  delivered  before  the  Graduates'  Club,  New  Haven,  Conn., 
March  i6,  1895.) 


Page 

xiii 


Remarks  upon  Some  Book-plates  of  Special  Interest : 

Germany    ....... 

I 

France        ....... 

•       »3 

England     ..,.,,. 

•       33 

America     ..,,... 

•       87 

Conclusion          ....... 

•     139 

Index        ........ 

•     149 

A  List  of  the  Illustrations 


Charles  H.  Taylor,  Jr.      By  Edwin  D.  French 

Joseph  Pollard,      By  Thomas  Bewick 

Isaiah  Allen         ..... 

Henry  Troth.      By  Samuel  Tiller  . 

George  Leon  Walker,      By  Hoffman 

Susan  Denison  Gallaudet.      By  Howard  Sill 

John  H.  Buck,      By  J,  Gill  . 

William  H,  Gaylord    ,  .  .  , 

James  M.  Thompson.      By  Richard  Cathie 

Harris  C.  Fahnestock,      By  Charles  William  Sherboi 

J.  Winfred  Spenceley,      By  J.  Winfred  Spenceley 

M.  M.  Sands.      By  J.  Winfred  Spenceley 

E.  G.  Stoddard.      By  W,  F,  Hopson     , 

Josephine  E,  S.  Porter,      By  W.  F,  Hopson     . 

Stewart  Means.      By  W,  F,  Hopson 

Florence  Sylva  Wheeler,      By  Edmund  H,  Garrett 

Mary  E.  Norcross,      By  Edmund  H,  Garrett  , 

William  H,  Chase,      By  Sydney  L.  Smith 

J.  B.  Troy,      By  Sydney  L,  Smith 

Theodore  L.  De  Vinne.      By  Edwin  Davis  French 

Robert  Sedgwick,      By  Edwin  Davis  French 


Frontispiece 

Facing  page 
xii 

zx 

XXX 

I 

12 

20 

28 

32 
42 

52 
60 
70 
78 

86 
98 
1 10 
122 
130 
138 
148 


.  ''\^^v/'.c^'rsTI.lS , 


INTRODUCTION 

GERMANY,    the    fatherland   of  the   art   of 
printing  from  movable  type,  and  of  the 
industry  of  wood-cutting  for  making  im- 
pressions in  ink  on  paper,  is  likewise  the 
home-land  of  the  book-plate. 

The  earliest  dated  wood-cut  of  accepted  authen- 
ticity is  the  well-known  "St.  Christopher  of  1423," 
which  was  discovered  in  the  Carthusian  monastery 
of  Buxheim  in  Suabia ;  this  rough  and  primitive 
piece  of  wood-cutting  was  probably  the  work  of  one 
of  the  monks,  undoubtedly  familiar  with  the  use  of 
the  pen  in  transcribing,  and  of  the  use  of  colors  in 
illuminating.  It  so  happens  that  the  plate  which 
until  recently  has  held  the  honor  of  being  the 
earliest  book-plate  known,  was  also  found  in  this 
same  monastery.  This  plate,  which  pictures  an 
angel  with  outspread  wings,  carrying  a  shield  in  his 
hands,  upon  the  field  of  which  is  depicted  an  ox 
with  a  ring  passed  through  its  nose,  was  pasted  into 
either  a  book  or  a  manuscript  given  to  the  monas- 
tery by  Hildebrande  Brandenburg  (aus  Biberach), 
and  the  date  of  it  is  probably  past  the  middle  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  An  earlier  and  much  uglier  plate 
both  in  design  and  execution  —  the  picture,  pos- 
sibly heraldic,  being  of  a  bristly  hedge-hog  carry- 


xiv  Introduction 


ing  a  flower  in  his  mouth  and  trampling  upon  fallen 
leaves  —  has  been  brought  to  light,  however,  still 
doing  duty  upon  the  cover  of  an  old  Latin  vocabu- 
lary. One  other  example  is  also  known  which  be- 
longs to  this  century ;  and  as  it  too  is  associated  with 
the  same  Carthusian  monastery,  we  are  led  to  conject- 
ure that  the  monks  who  in  the  privacy  of  their  cells, 
or  within  the  quiet  cloister,  where  the  muttering 
brothers  as  they  passed  could  stop  and  watch  them, 
practised  the  new  art,  were  the  first  to  devise  and 
employ  a  pictorial  label  to  indicate  the  ownership 
of  books.  These  designs  are  of  course  cut  in 
wood ;  the  heavy  black  lines,  clumsy  designing,  and 
utter  freedom  from  artistic  finish,  perspective,  or 
chiaro-oscuro  effects,  so  familiar  to  all  who  examine 
old  prints,  are  exemplified  in  these  plates.  Several 
of  these  are  printed  on  the  reverse  side  of  pages 
from  some  block-book  of  an  earlier  date. 

Without  meaning  to  devote  any  time  here  to  a 
discussion  of  the  probable  origin  of  the  book-plate, 
we  may  call  to  mind,  in  passing,  the  activity  which 
this  century  saw  in  the  manufacture  of  prints  from 
wood-cuts ;  on  single  sheets,  maps,  and  pictures 
of  saints ;  the  block-book  with  its  archaic  pictures, 
and  the  work  of  the  Kartenmaler  as  well  as  that  of 
the  Formschneider.  The  cities  along  the  Rhine  were 
full  of  artisans,  both  among  the  clergy  and  the  laity, 
who  were  clever  at  this  kind  of  work,  and  the  num- 
ber of  wood-workers  in  Italy  and  France  was  also 
very  large.  The  introduction  of  printing  from 
movable  type  seemed  at  first  to  aim  a  severe  blow 
at  the  industries  of  the  various  guilds,  so  widely 
supported,    and     the    new    art   was    regarded    with 


Introduction  xv 


the  greatest  jealousy.  At  Augsburg  the  feeling 
amounted  to  open  and  positive  antagonism.  Could 
it  be  that  in  casting  about  for  a  new  use  for  the  old 
art,  that  the  book-plate  was  hit  upon  as  a  promising 
subject .'' 

Albert  Diirer  designed  and  very  possibly  en- 
graved book-plates.  For  his  friend  Wilibald  Pirck- 
heimer,  the  Nuremburg  jurist,  whose  big,  bulbous 
face  is  familiar  to  all,  he  made  an  heraldic  plate, 
now  of  great  interest  and  some  rarity ;  indeed, 
Diirer's  portrait  of  the  great  book-collector  is  some- 
times found  used  as  a  book-plate.  Among  the 
much-prized  examples  of  early  German  plates  are 
those  by  Holbein,  Hans  Sebald  Beham,  Jost 
Amman,  Lucas  Cranach,  Johann  Troschel,  Wolf- 
gang Kilian  of  Augsburg,  Virgil  Solis,  and  Hans 
Siebmacher,  artists  all,  whose  work  is  of  interest  not 
only  to  the  book-plate  collector,  but  to  all  inter- 
ested in  the  history  of  engraving.  Indeed,  one  of 
the  delights  of  the  humble  book-plate  coUectdr  is 
to  point  out  to  his  more  ambitious  brother,  the  col- 
lector of  prints,  that  these  old  masters  whose  works 
he  prizes  so  highly  did  not  despise  the  book-plate, 
trifle  though  it  be,  but  condescended  to  bestow 
labor  and  time  and  to  use  their  talents  in  its  de- 
signing and  engraving.  Diirer,  who  could  celebrate 
the  triumphs  of  Maximilian  in  a  series  of  blocks 
which  made  a  complete  picture  some  seven  feet  by 
one  and  one-half,  did  not  disdain  to  design  a  little 
print  to  indicate  the  ownership  of  a  book.  I  do 
not  intimate  that  the  old  book-plates  were  insignifi- 
cant in  size ;  far  from  it.  Those  old  tomes,  bound 
in  sole  leather,  sided  with  stout  boards,  and  clasped 


xvi  Introduction 


and  chained  with  iron,  demanded  an  ample  label  to 
set  forth  with  proper  dignity  the  fact  of  ownership. 
Books  were  few,  valuable,  and  often  very  large. 
Thus  it  happens  that  one  old  book-collector  had 
some  twenty  different  sizes  of  his  plate,  to  satisfy 
his  critical  eye,  as  he  carefully  regarded  the  width 
of  the  margins  while  pasting  in  the  plates,  —  and 
this,  too,  in  an  age  that  knew  nothing  of  process- 
reproduction  and  when  each  separate  plate  had  to 
be  engraved  by  hand.  Place  a  plate  four  inches  by 
two  in  a  quarto  ?  By  no  means  !  Cover  the  whole 
side  of  a  dainty  i2mo  with  a  plate  of  equal  size? 
Perish  the  thought !  A  special  plate  for  each  sized 
book  ! 

The  largest  plate  thus  far  unearthed  is  about 
fourteen  inches  by  ten.  It  once  graced  the  books 
of  Count  Maximilian  Louis  Breiner,  a  distinguished 
official  in  Lombardy,  of  the  Austrian  Emperor. 
The  centre  of  the  plate  is  taken  up  with  the  family 
arms  of  the  noble  count,  while  all  about  the  orna- 
mental framework,  representing  a  carved  stone 
canopy,  are  disposed  musical  instruments  in  profu- 
sion, ancient  armor,  and  munitions  of  war,  as  well  as 
graceful  garlands  of  roses  and  lions'  heads ;  and  on 
an  imposing  scroll,  a  long  legend  in  Latin  sets 
forth  the  services  and  offices  of  the  owner.  De- 
signing and  engraving  are  both  the  work  of 
Giuseppe  Petrarca,  and  it  probably  dates  towards 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

All  these  early  book-plate  designs  are  heraldic. 
The  family  coat-of-arms  was  the  distinguishing  mark 
used  to  identify  the  belongings  of  the  great  families. 
In  those  old  days,  when  libraries  were  kept  intact  as 


Introduction  xvii 


they  passed  from  generation  to  generation,  the  he- 
raldic emblem  was  the  natural  and  fitting  label  with 
which  to  mark  the  books.  Beginning  with  the 
simple  shield  of  arms  with  its  legitimate  supporters, 
the  designs  gradually  extended  to  the  placing  of  the 
shield  within  an  ornamental  border.  This  border 
grew  in  elaborate  detail  until  it  became  heavy  and 
over-wrought.  Too  many  figures  were  introduced, 
the  ornamentation  was  superabundant,  and  not 
always  in  good  taste.  At  length,  as  time  went  on, 
the  heraldry  was  forced  into  a  subordinate  position, 
or  wholly  disappeared.  Allegory  came  in  to  take 
its  place ;  the  gods  and  goddesses  of  Greece  and 
Rome,  as  well  as  the  heroes  of  the  Nibelungenlied^ 
were  represented  on  German  book-plates  :  the  armed 
Minerva  is  very  frequently  met  with  as  well  as 
Thor  and  the  dwarfs.  Finally,  the  pursuits,  occu- 
pations, and  pleasures  of  the  owners  came  to  be  con- 
sidered a  proper  feature  of  book-plate  designing, 
and  it  is  the  development  of  this  idea  that  brings 
us  to  the  artistic  examples  of  the  present  day,  which 
in  Germany  are  principally  made  by  Joseph  Sattler 
and  Ad.  M.  Hildebrandt. 

As  the  direction  of  the  strong  wind  is  indicated 
by  the  passing  of  the  insignificant  bit  of  straw,  so  in 
these  "  unconsidered  trifles,"  book-plates,  one  may 
easily  note  the  differences  in  the  characters  of  the 
Northern  and  Southern  inhabitants  of  Europe. 
The  sturdy,  muscular,  active  Teuton,  practical  and 
little  given  to  taking  his  ease,  used  a  cheap  paper 
label,  rough,  frank,  and  sufficient,  in  his  books  ;  it 
was  in  him  to  cultivate,  not  the  arts  that  please, 
but  the  forces  that  move :   his  book-plate  was  like 


xviii  Introduction 


him.  The  delicate  Southron,  fanned  by  warm 
breezes,  falls  to  making  music,  to  devising  the  ele- 
gancies of  life,  the  things  that  please  and  are  a 
delight  to  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  the  palate.  His 
book-plate,  when  he  adopted  the  fashion,  partook  of 
his  nature ;  but  before  he  had  the  book-plate  he  had 
something  far  more  elegant,  expensive,  and  satisfac- 
tory,—  the  beautiful  binding  with  its  tooling  in  gold, 
and  its  intricate  inlay  of  colored  moroccos.  We 
know  that  in  Germany  the  book-plate  began  to  be 
used  towards  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century,  while 
in  France  we  find  it  very  nearly  a  century  later  that 
the  first  plate  of  that  country  has  a  date, —  1574. 
Very  probably  this  is  not  the  first  book-plate  used 
in  France,  but  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  identify  as 
positive  book-plates  many  of  the  earlier  armorial 
prints.  Very  few  examples  are  known  which  can 
confidently  be  assigned  to  a  date  previous  to  1650. 
Such  as  were  in  use,  were,  nearly  without  exception, 
heraldic  in  character  and  so  sufficient  was  the  coat- 
of-arms  as  a  means  of  identification  that  not  over 
one-half  of  these  have  a  name  engraved  upon  them. 
These  few  plates  are  of  great  rarity  and  interest. 
Among  the  most  prized  are  those  of  Emeric  Bigot, 
the  eminent  bibliophile  who  collected  some  forty 
thousand  volumes,  and  Alexander  Petau,  in  whose 
library  were  many  splendid  manuscripts  which  at  his 
death  were  purchased  by  Christina  of  Sweden  and 
by  her  bequeathed  to  the  Vatican.  But  not  until  the 
opening  of  the  eighteenth  century  do  French  book- 
plates become  numerous,  or  take  on  the  diverting 
fancies  and  show  the  excellence  of  execution  or  deli- 
cacy of  invention  and  detail  which  make  them  so 


Introduction  xlx 


charming.  Up  to  1790  when  the  First  Republic 
suppressed  all  the  existing  titles  and  abolished  armo- 
rial bearings,  the  heraldry  is  fairly  correct  and  very 
commonly  used  upon  the  book-plates  preserved  to 
us.  A  large  plate  of  folio  size  engraved  by  Audran 
was  used  by  Louis  XV. :  the  royal  crown,  trophies, 
and  the  double  L  in  monogram  on  a  shield  are  the 
prominent  features.  Madame  Victoire  de  France 
(Louis'  daughter)  and  the  Chateau  de  la  Bastille 
had  book-plates  bearing  the  French  arms,  Azure^ 
three  fleurs-de-lys^  orgeant.  In  this  century  books 
began  to  multiply,  elegant  bindings  grew  rarer,  and 
eminent  artists  gave  attention  to  the  designing  of 
book-plates  :  even  Boucher  engraved  a  few,  of  which 
a  single  signed  specimen  is  now  known.  Court 
beauties  read,  or  at  least  owned,  books.  Diane  de 
Poitiers  had  many  books  beautifully  bound  by  Le 
Faucheux,  and  on  them  was  stamped  her  monogram, 
intertwined  with  that  of  her  royal  lover,  Henri  II., 
and  in  the  design  was  the  crescent  of  the  fair  goddess 
Diana.  Scarron's  widow,  the  Marquise  de  Main- 
tenon,  formed  a  valuable  library  which  contained 
many  hundred  volumes  stamped  with  her  arms. 
The  books  of  the  Marquise  de  Pompadour  were 
stamped  with  her  arms,  in  addition  to  which  she 
had  a  book-plate.  Last,  and  least  in  many  respects 
came  Louis  XV. 's  last  favorite,  the  Comptesse  du 
Barry  who  survived  royalty  and  died  on  the  scaffold. 
Scarcely  able  to  read  or  to  spell,  she  owned  beauti- 
fully bound  books  of  a  sort  calculated  to  dissipate 
the  ennui  and  to  engage  the  mind  of  the  debauched 
old  monarch  :  she  too,  had  a  pretty  book-plate. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  when  the   Republic 


XX  Introduction 


came  in  and  the  old  nobility  was  shelved,  that  even 
the  arms  on  so  trivial  a  piece  of  property  as  a  book- 
plate were  in  many  instances  pasted  over  with 
hastily  made  designs  in  which  the  coronet  gave  way 
to  the  cap  of  liberty  and  the  old  titles  were  succeeded 
by  the  plain  word  Citoyen.  Napoleon  made  many 
changes  in  the  heraldry  of  France  and  among  the 
most  interesting  book-plates  of  his  time  are  those 
of  his  brother  Lucien,  whom  he  made  Prince  de 
Canino;  and  that  of  Marechal  Suchet,  the  hero  of 
many  battles  and,  in  the  opinion  of  his  chief,  his 
second  bravest  officer.  The  Emperor  himself  used 
no  book-plate,  but  the  books  in  the  National  Li- 
brary were  stamped  with  his  arms  ;  and  in  like  man- 
ner were  the  books  of  Josephine  marked.  From  the 
downfall  of  the  "  man  of  fate  "  to  the  middle  of  the 
present  century  we  find  nothing  interesting  in 
the  book-plates  of  France ;  then  a  renascence  set  in, 
and  with  heraldry  a  secondary  consideration,  we  find 
the  owners  of  plates  adapting  their  designs  to  the 
expression  of  their  individual  tastes :  statesmen, 
artists,  scientists,  authors,  began  to  mark  their 
books  in  this  way.  Gambetta,  Victor  Hugo,  Theo- 
phile  Gautier,  Prosper-Merimee,  Charles  Monselet, 
the  brothers  de  Goncourt,  and  Octave  Uzanne 
are  among  the  prominent  men  whose  plates  are 
valued  by  collectors. 

Of  the  other  European  countries  a  word  only  is 
necessary.  The  earliest  dated  plate  of  Sweden  bears 
the  figures  1575;  Switzerland  follows,  with  one  in 
1607;  and  Italy  has  one  dated  1623.  All  these 
countries  have  large  numbers  of  book-plates,  both 
old  and  recent,  to  help  fill  the  collector's  cases  ;  and 


Introduction  xxi 


although  in  form  and  appearance  the  examples  of 
one  country  very  greatly  resemble  those  of  the 
others,  there  are  differences  controlled  by  national 
characteristics  and  the  height  attained  by  art  in 
each  country  which  assist  the  practised  eye  to  judge 
accurately  of  the  nationality  of  a  specimen. 

Crossing  now  to  England  we  find  ourselves  in 
the  country  in  which  the  book-plate  has  been  most 
widely  used,  which  has  the  greatest  number  of 
interesting  examples  and  in  which  the  design  reflects 
more  of  the  spirit  of  the  times  possibly  than  in  any 
other ;  here  too,  unless  America  be  admitted  to 
have  achieved  the  distinction,  the  book-plate  had 
reached  its  highest  art. 

In  a  folio  volume  once  the  property  of  Cardinal 
Wolsey  and  afterward  belonging  to  his  royal  master, 
we  can  still  see  the  gorgeous  ecclesiastical  book-plate 
done  in  colors,  of  its  first  owner.  This  is  supposed 
to  have  been  made  about  1520,  and  it  is  the  earliest 
English  plate  thus  far  found.  But  two  others  are 
known  which  belong  to  this  century  :  one  by  the 
name  of  Tresham  whose  owner  was  made  a  knight 
by  Queen  Elizabeth  and  whose  son  was  connected 
with  the  Powder  Plot ;  and  the  other,  of  Sir  Nicholas 
Bacon,  known  as  "  the  father  of  his  country  and  of 
Sir  Francis  Bacon." 

The  earliest  mention  of  the  book-plate  in  Eng- 
lish literature  is  in  the  compendious  diary  of  the 
gossipy  Pepys.  Under  date  of  July  16,  1688,  he 
mentions  spending  an  hour  at  the  plate-maker's 
planning  the  little  plate  for  his  books.  He,  one 
remembers,  really  loved  his  books  and  used  to  over- 
haul them,  re-number  and  weed  them  out,  once  a 


xxii  Introduction 


year;  and  Into  this  bothersome  but  unquestioned 
service  the  whole  family  was  impressed ;  the  job 
was  put  through  in  a  hurry,  and  as  to  despatch  and 
neatness  was  compared  with  the  record  of  the  pre- 
vious year,  and  a  new  note  was  made  in  the  diary. 
Pepys  had  several  book-plates.  We  find  that  in  most 
of  his  books  now  preserved  in  Magdalene  College 
Library,  Cambridge,  he  used  two  kinds,  one  at  each 
end,  —  his  magnificent  portrait  plate  on  the  front 
cover  and  the  official  Navy-yard  plate  at  the  tail. 
He  had  at  first  an  armorial  plate,  but  his  love  of 
personal  display  led  him  to  make  use  of  his  portrait 
as  a  book-plate  :  in  this,  engraved  in  two  sizes  by 
Robert  White,  we  see  the  vain  old  babbler  arrayed  in 
his  much-loved  finery,  —  velvet,  lace,  and  imposing 
wig  !  Possibly  the  very  wig  he  bought  in  the  Plague 
Year  because  it  was  so  cheap  for  so  fine  a  one,  and 
which  he  was  afraid  to  wear  for  a  long  time  there- 
after, fearing  that  the  maker  might  have  cut  the  hair 
from  the  head  of  a  victim  of  the  dread  disease  ! 

But  we  cannot  linger  to  mention  individual  exam- 
ples of  particular  interest.  It  is  not  until  the  begin- 
ning of  the  eighteenth  century  that  the  plates  really 
begin  to  thicken;  but  from  1725  up  to  the  present 
day,  the  output  from  engravers,  good,  bad,  and  in- 
different, steadily  grows.  In  picking  up  an  old  book, 
and  noticing  its  quaint  old  heraldic  book-plate,  one 
would  not  naturally  think  of  its  possibilities  for 
amusement,  instruction,  and  absorbing  interest. 
Little  would  one  think  that  hundreds  of  persons, 
ladies  as  well  as  gentlemen  among  the  number,  in 
all  parts  of  the  world,  are  taking  a  great  interest  in 
the  collection  and  classification  of  these  bits  of  en- 


Introduction  xxiii 


graving  ;  but  so  it  is.  An  enormous  amount  of  the 
time  and  money  which  the  collecting  spirit  demands 
of  its  victims  is  now  devoted  to  this  pursuit.  The 
very  first  collector  of  book-plates  as  book-plates  — 
for  they  must  have  strayed  into  the  collections  of 
prints  before  this  time  —  was  a  lady,  —  a  Miss  Jen- 
kins of  Bath,  England,  who  in  1820  was  forming  the 
little  group  which  ultimately  became  the  nucleus  of 
the  mammoth  collection  of  over  one  hundred  thou- 
sand specimens  which  Dr.  Joseph  Jackson  Howard 
now  owns.  From  this  time  on,  the  book-plate  was 
regarded  as  of  some  interest  by  various  antiquarians 
and  heraldic  students.  At  length,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  in  the  year  1 880,  the  information  that  had  gradu- 
ally been  gathered  was  assembled  and  put  into  book- 
form  by  the  Hon.  J.  Leicester  Warren  (the  late 
Lord  de  Tabley),  a  scholar  and  poet  of  high  repu- 
tation. This  bot)k  remains  to  this  day  absolutely 
the  best  work  on  the  subject,  although  scores  of 
writers  have  followed  the  path  he  blazed.  In  this 
book  the  reader  was  shown  how  to  classify  his  plates 
intelligently,  was  informed  of  the  literary,  historical, 
biographical,  and  artistic  material  which  clustered 
round  them,  and  was  furnished  with  descriptions  of 
the  different  styles  and  illustrations  of  them,  that 
he  might  be  able  to  appreciate  and  understand  the 
charm  of  the  book-plate  to  the  genuine  collector. 
These  were  new  ideas,  for  hitherto  only  the  heraldry 
or  the  engraver  had  been  of  interest  to  any  one. 
To  Lord  de  Tabley  also  is  due  the  nomenclature 
universally  adopted  by  which  we  distinguish  the 
styles.  The  great  body  of  English  plates  display 
armorial  bearings,  and  while  the  plain  armorial  plate 


xxiv  Introduction 


unadorned  and  bare  continues  in  unbroken  sequence 
from  the  earliest  day  up  to  the  present,  the  plates 
with  more  artistic  pretensions  have  followed  certain 
vogues  which  may  be  described  and  chronologically 
placed  with  sufficient  accuracy.  The  plates,  then, 
which  were  in  use  from  about  1700  to  about  1745, 
and  which  may  easily  be  recognized  as  having  many 
features  in  common,  are  called  Jacobean  :  this  name 
is  given  them  because  they  came  into  use  during 
the  reign  of  the  last  James.  In  these  plates  the 
shield  of  arms  is  set  in  the  centre  of  a  stiff  and 
formal  frame,  which  often  resembles  wood-carving. 
Heavy  garlands  of  flowers,  bunches  of  fruit,  stiff 
and  conventional  arrangements  of  leaves  and  blos- 
soms, faces  of  animals,  term-figures,  and  quite  an 
assortment  of  architectural  and  allegorical  embellish- 
ments, were  superimposed  upon  the  frame.  Latticed 
or  diapered  backgrounds  were  common,  and  a 
scallop  shell  or  a  grinning,  grotesque  face  was  often 
placed  at  the  bottom  as  a  finishing  touch.  The  two 
sides  of  the  frame  exactly  coincided,  and  the  whole 
effect  of  the  style  was  massive,  severe,  and  classical. 
This  style  was  at  its  height  about  1730, 

About  the  middle  of  the  century  the  famous  T. 
Chippendale  introduced  a  certain  airy  and  graceful 
manner  of  designing  furniture  and  upholstery.  The 
designers  of  book-plates  as  well  as  the  artisans  in 
other  lines  at  once  made  use  of  its  principles  in 
their  line  of  work  ;  and  as  the  style  of  the  book-plate 
was  greatly  modified  by  this  new  conception,  and 
became  so  faithful  a  reproduction  of  the  spirit  of 
Chippendale's  work,  such  plates  came  to  bear  his 
name  as  their  distinctive  title.    At  once  the  stiffness 


Introduction  xxv 


and  conventionality  of  the  Jacobean  style  dis- 
appeared :  in  the  new  style  the  two  sides  of  the 
shield  were  seldom  symmetrical ;  the  shield  of  arms 
was  enclosed  within  an  escutcheon  of  graceful  design 
not  unlike  the  human  ear  in  general  outline,  and  the 
surrounding  decoration  is  full  of  pretty  and  dainty 
touches,  varying  of  course  according  to  the  ability 
of  the  engraver.  Lord  de  Tabley  says  that  the 
mark  and  stamp  of  the  Chippendale  book-plate  is 
its  border  or  frilling  of  open  shell-work,  set  close 
up  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  escutcheon.  The  plates 
in  this  style  are  very  taking.  One  likes  them  at  a 
glance ;  whereas  the  Jacobean  needs  acquaintance  to 
be  fully  understood  and  appreciated.  Closely  suc- 
ceeding the  Chippendale,  and  indeed  coming  into 
use  before  it  went  out,  is  the  style  going  by  the 
name  of  Ribbon  and  Wreath  or  Festoon.  As  the 
name  indicates,  these  plates  depend  upon  wreaths 
(mostly  of  roses,  sprays  of  holly  or  of  palm)  and 
floating  ribbons  for  their  simple  but  pleasing  deco- 
ration. More  pleasing  perhaps  to  the  general 
observer  are  the  plates  of  a  pictorial  or  allegorical 
character :  the  library  interiors  showing  the  student 
surrounded  by  his  long  rows  of  books  ;  the  portrait 
plates,  which  give  us  a  chance  to  see  the  looks  of 
the  book-owner ;  or  the  glimpses  into  the  abode  of 
the  gods,  with  many  an  old  acquaintance  bringing 
knowledge  to  man,  or  sitting  upon  the  clouds  in 
superintendence  of  the  actions  of  those  below;  and 
those  which,  by  their  use  of  differing  accessories, 
indicate  the  angler,  the  hunter,  the  book-lover,  the 
specialist  in  one  branch  or  another  of  learning,  art, 
or  amusement :   indeed,  as  we  escape  from  the  load 


xxvi  Introduction 


Dame  Heraldry  lays  upon  the  designer,  the  greater 
variety  and  charm  of  the  designs  at  once  impresses 
one. 

In  looking  over  the  field  to  pick  out  a  few  plates 
to  mention,  one  is  embarrassed  by  the  great  number 
really  worthy  of  attention,  but  it  will  probably  suf- 
fice to  give  in  alphabetical  order  the  names  of 
some  of  the  celebrated  Englishmen  who  use  or 
have  used  book-plates.  Such  a  list  of  names  gives 
a  good  idea  of  the  kind  of  people  likely  to  use 
with  appreciation  such  a  mark  of  ownership  : 
Richard  Bentley,  Walter  Besant,  John  Brand, 
Henry  Thomas  Buckle,  Richard  Burton,  Thomas 
Carlyle,  Charles  Cowden  Clarke,  Lord  Chesterfield, 
Thomas  Frognall  Dibdin,  Charles  Dickens,  Ben- 
jamin Disraeli,  Richard  Lovell  Edgworth,  Forster, 
the  biographer  of  Dickens,  Garrick,  Edmund  Gosse 
(who  objects  to  the  exchange  of  plates,  and  it  must 
be  acknowledged  with  much  reason  ;  for  why,  after 
all,  should  a  man  give  away  copies  of  that  which 
he  uses  for  the  purpose  of  designating  his  own 
private  property  ?),  Gibbon,  historian  of  Rome, 
Gladstone,  Harley,  founder  of  the  Society  which 
bears  his  name,  Ireland,  Henry  Irving,  Andrew 
Lumisden,  Mahoney  ("  Father  Prout "),  Matthews 
the  wit,  Mitford,  Priestley,  Southey  the  poet.  Lord 
Tennyson,  Anthony  Trollope,  Tupper,  Horace 
Walpole,  Wilberforce,  Edmund  Yates ;  and  not 
by  any  means  least  in  this  array,  the  following : 
Lady  Oxford,  friend  of  Walpole,  the  Hon.  Mrs. 
Damer,  also  friend  of  Walpole  (whose  plate,  by 
the  way,  was  designed  by  Agnes  Berry),  Princess 
Sophia,   Duchess  of  Richmond,   Lady   Blessington, 


Introduction  xxvii 


Duchess  of  Beaufort,  Countess  of  Pomfret,  Selina, 
Countess  of  Huntingdon,  Lady  Betty  Germain,  of 
whom  Swift  makes  mention  in  the  Journal  of 
Stella;  and  of  the  present  day,  —  Miss  Prideaux, 
ihe  widely  known  amateur  binder  of  books,  Hon. 
Frances  Wolseley,  daughter  of  General  Sir  Garnet 
Wolseley,  and  Miss  Greene,  the  designer  of  plates. 
Thackeray,  whose  powers  as  an  artist  would  not 
seem  to  promise  well  when  it  came  to  designing 
book-plates,  did  however,  make  one  for  Fitzgerald, 
which  is  very  pretty  and  quite  rare  to-day. 

A  word  as  to  the  old  engravers  in  England 
whose  work  the  collector  prizes.  Very  many  old 
examples  owe  their  whole  value  to  the  signature  at 
the  foot  of  the  plate.  One  plate  only  is  known 
which  was  engraved  by  William  Marshall,  and  cop- 
ies are  very  seldom  seen:  this  was  done  about  1640. 
Then  come  William  Faithorne,  David  Loggan,  John 
Pine,  George  Vertue,  Simon  Gribelin,  Skinner, 
Mountaine,  William  Hogarth,  Sir  Robert  Strange, 
Bartolozzi,  who  made  the  beautiful  and  rare  plate 
of  Lady  Bessborough,  Sherwin,  Lambert,  and 
Thomas  Bewick,  who  made  many  a  plate  in  the 
delightfully  quaint  style  of  landscape  picturing  which 
is  so  closely  associated  with  his  name. 

Of  recent  workers  we  may  mention  the  excellent, 
almost  unequalled  work  of  William  Sherborn.  Very 
rich  and  elaborate  in  all  details,  beautifully  brilliant 
in  the  cutting,  and  when  well  printed  wholly  delight- 
ful, these  plates  have  ranked  for  some  years  above 
all  others.  Mr.  John  Leighton  the  artist  has  also 
designed  many  a  plate,  notably  the  gift-plate  which 
was  among  the  wedding  presents  of  Duke  George 


xxviii  Introduction 


and  Princess  Mary.  Another  artist  whose  book-plate 
work  is  eagerly  sought  after,  and  whose  style  differs 
wholly  from  all  the  others,  is  Mr.  H.  Stacy.  Marks. 
His  plates  are  always  processed,  and  the  drawing,  as 
he  makes  it,  comes  out  beautifully  :  generally  the 
interior  of  a  study  or  a  laboratory,  sometimes  grew- 
some  as  when  skulls  and  bones  lie  about,  they  are 
always  pleasing  in  design.  Now  and  then  some 
artist  who  does  not  make  a  business  of  book-plate 
work  will  present  his  friends  with  clever  designs. 
Such  dainty  pieces  are  used  by  Edmund  Gosse  and 
Brander  Matthews,  both  done  by  Edwin  A.  Abbey. 
Throughout  England  the  interest  in  the  subject  of 
book-plates  is  very  large,  as  the  successful  establish- 
ment of  a  society  of  enthusiastic  collectors  proves. 
The  literature  of  the  subject  grows  daily,  new  designs 
constantly  appear,  and  the  whole  machinery  of  the 
hobby  is  in  full  swing. 


Leaving  the  best  until  the  last  we  at  length 
come  to  speak  a  word  upon  American  book-plates  ; 
and  among  collectors,  at  least  upon  this  side  of  the 
ocean,  it  is  customary  to  regard  all  plates  used  by 
residents  of  America  as  American  plates  even  if 
made  in  a  foreign  country.  A  very  strict  applica- 
tion of  the  term  might  limit  us  to  those  made  by 
Americans.  In  the  early  days  some  of  the  plates 
used  here  were  made  bv  native  artisans,  and  some 
were  imported  from  England.  The  Southern  plates, 
to  which  locality  came  men  of  wealth  and  some 
aristocratic  pretensions,  were  mostly  ordered  from 


Introduction  xxix 


England ;  while  the  Northern  examples,  on  the 
contrary,  are  with  few  exceptions  by  home  talent. 
These  latter  are  the  most  interesting  to  us,  as  they 
are  proofs  of  what  self-taught  engravers  working 
under  hard  circumstances  can  do.  As  in  the  older 
countries,  so  with  us,  the  early  plates  were  nearly 
all  heraldic,  but  the  arms  as  given  upon  some  of 
these  may  not  perhaps  be  absolutely  correct.  It 
was  at  that  time  rather  unlikely  that  a  man  would 
boldly  make  public  use  of  a  coat  not  properly  his; 
but  errors  naturally  crept  in,  as  in  the  plate  of 
Luther  Martin,  who  displays  the  band  of  the 
baronet  upon  his  shield. 

At  the  very  beginning,  however,  and  all  along 
through  the  progress  of  the  book-plate  in  all  coun- 
tries, there  was  a  large  body  of  plain  typographical 
name-labels  accompanying  the  more  fanciful  styles 
through  their  development,  remaining  the  same 
from  age  to  age  and  always  plentiful.  While  these 
have  no  particular  interest  as  book-plates,  they 
were  often  made  the  vehicle  of  a  bitter  sarcasm  and 
a  wholesome  bit  of  advice  which  we  must  turn 
aside  to  take  note  of.  To  be  sure,  people  do  not 
agree  as  to  whether  books  should  be  loaned  or  not : 
some  think  they  should ;  others  will  not  think  of 
doing  so.  Grolier  had  stamped  upon  the  choice 
bindings  of  very  many  of  his  books,  these  words  : 
Jo.  Grolierii  et  Amicorum^  while  a  book-owner  of 
no  very  distant  date  In  this  country  had  immedi- 
ately succeeding  his  name  upon  his  book-plate, 
these  very  different  words,  "  This  book  is  not 
loaned.  Matt.  xxv.  9."  (The  passage  of  scripture 
referred  to  is  that  verse  occurring  in  the  parable  of 


XXX  Introduction 


the  Wise  and  Foolish  Virgins,  which  says,  "  Not  so, 
lest  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you  :  but  rather, 
go  ye  to  those  who  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.") 
Wholesome  advice  as  to  the  care  of  books,  the 
choice  of  reading,  and  the  quick  return  of  borrowed 
volumes  is  often  met  with.  When  reading  such 
lines,  one  recalls  the  slovenly  habits  of  Johnson  : 
how  he  would  use  the  butter-knife  to  hold  his 
place  in  a  fine  book  borrowed  from  a  friend,  while 
he  stopped  reading  and  eating  to  quaff  the  favorite 
beverage.  Much  that  is  quaint  and  clever  occurs 
upon  these  motto-bearing  plates. 

The  earliest  dated  plate  that  we  know  of  belonged 
to  Governor  Dudley,  and  the  full  inscription  reads, 
"  His  Excellency,  Joseph  Dudley  Esq^  Governor 
of  New  England,  1702."  In  the  following  year  we 
have  two  plates  dated  :  William  Penn,  proprietor 
of  the  colony,  and  Thomas  Page  of  Virginia.  All 
three  of  these  plates  are  of  English  make,  and  all 
are  in  the  so-called  "  Early  English  "  style,  —  which 
is  briefly,  the  shield  of  arms  surrounded  on  three 
sides  with  rich,  full-rounded  mantling,  bearing  but 
little  resemblance,  it  is  true,  to  the  original  mantling 
which  hung  about  the  shoulders  of  the  knight,  but 
being  its  conventional  historical  development.  Our 
early  plates  followed  closely  the  styles  of  England, 
and  many  of  our  early  engravers  came  over  from 
that  country.  Among  such  were  Dawkins,  who 
worked  wholly  in  the  Chippendale  style,  and  of 
whose  end  we  know  nothing;  Maverick,  the  New 
York  engraver,  who  was  at  once  the  most  prolific  of 
all,  and  one  of  the  very  best  both  as  designer  and 
cutter ;   Rollinson,  who  made  the  gilt  buttons  which 


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Introduction  xxxi 


ornamented  the  coat  which  General  Washington 
wore  when  inaugurated  as  President,  and  who  made 
many  pretty  plates  in  the  Ribbon  and  Wreath 
style ;  and  Smither,  who  had  been  a  gun-engraver 
in  the  Tower  of  London,  and  whose  name  we  find 
upon  a  few  goodish  plates. 

But  of  greater  interest  to  us  are  the  American- 
born  engravers,  —  those  who  began  or  founded  the 
art  in  our  country.  Of  these,  four  stand  out  as 
especially  noteworthy  :  Nathaniel  Hurd  of  Boston, 
the  best  engraver  of  them  all ;  Alexander  Anderson 
of  New  York,  the  first  to  engrave  upon  wood  in 
this  country ;  Amos  Doolittle,  the  Connecticut  en- 
graver;  and  Paul  Revere,  patriot,  worker  in  silver 
and  brass,  and  engraver  of  book-plates  which  are 
to-day  the  rarest  of  any  in  our  country  —  that  is, 
the  known  copies  of  his  plates  are  fewer  than  those 
of  the  others. 

Hurd  occupies  the  chiefest  place  because  of  the 
excellence  of  his  work,  the  evidence  of  carefully 
trained  ability,  and  his  faithful  adherence  to  the  pure 
style.  He  did  not  overload  his  designs  as  Dawkins 
continually  did,  nor  was  he  a  lazy  engraver,  a  regu- 
lar copyist,  as  Callender  seems  to  have  been.  Of 
his  work  we  know  about  thirty  signed  examples 
and  a  dozen  more  which  can  be  safely  attributed  to 
him.  He  made  the  Thomas  Dering  plate,  which  is 
dated  1749,  and  is  the  earliest  plate,  engraved  by  an 
American  artist,  bearing  a  date. 

The  story  of  Alexander  Anderson's  hardships  in 
getting  started  as  an  engraver, —  his  chosen  occupa- 
tion, —  against  the  preference  of  his  father,  who 
wished  him   to  become  a  physician,  is  well  known 


xxxii  Introduction 


and  of  particular  interest.  It  seems  odd  that  his 
father,  observing  the  deHght  with  which  the  youth 
began  to  copy,  with  a  rude  home-made  graver,  some 
anatomical  plates  he  had  gotten  hold  of,  should 
claim  to  see  in  this  the  evidence  of  a  predilection 
for  the  medical  profession  instead  of  recognizing  the 
genius  of  the  lad  for  using  the  graver.  But  after 
numerous  discouragements  he  became  a  settled  en- 
graver, and  in  1793  he  cut  a  tobacco-stamp  on  wood, 
which  seems  to  have  been  his  first  attempt  on  that 
substance.  In  Bewick's  ^ladrupeds  he  found  the 
work  of  a  master  who  so  charmed  him,  that  all 
his  future  work  was  influenced  by  the  manner  of 
that  famous  engraver,  and  in  fact  Anderson  was 
given  the  title  of  the  "  American  Bewick,"  so  simi- 
lar was  his  work  to  that  of  Bewick  himself  He 
made  book-plates  on  both  wood  and  copper,  of 
which  about  twenty  are  now  known. 

Amos  Doolittle,  who  was  born  in  Cheshire  in 
1754,  and  who  died  in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  in  1832, 
was  one  of  the  first  engravers  of  historical  scenes  in 
America  :  four  views  of  the  early  battles  of  the  Rev- 
olution earned  him  much  fime.  As  a  book-plate 
maker,  he  was  fond  of  the  allegorical,  I  should  say  ; 
for  certainly  his  plates  for  the  societies  of  Yale  Col- 
lege display  a  wealth  of  imagination  which  could  not 
have  been  wholly  that  of  those  who  ordered  them. 
He  was  one  of  the  self-instructed  engravers  of  whom 
we  had  so  many.  Those  early  beginners  in  the  art 
made  their  own  tools,  often  out  of  the  springs  of  old 
knives,  rolled  copper  cents  very  thin  in  order  to  get 
a  plate  to  work  on,  used  thinned  paint  as  an  ink  in 
a  press  of  their  own  contriving,  in  order  to  see  the 


Introduction  xxxiii 


result  of  their  labors ;  used  to  cut  designs  on  the 
silverware  of  their  friends,  as  it  was  easy  to  work 
and  convenient  to  the  hand.  Many  of  them  began 
by  working  modestly  in  making  silver  spoons,  but- 
tons, buckles,  and  fashioning  more  pretentious  pieces 
of  plate  as  their  ability  permitted ;  but  to  engrave 
on  copper  was  the  ambition  of  many,  and  in  this 
they  were  of  necessity  self-taught. 

Paul  Revere  was  one  of  these  workers  in  silver, 
who  tried  his  hand  at  the  book-plate.  Four  different 
plates  are  now  known  which  he  signed,  and  of  one 
of  them,  the  Epes  Sargent,  but  one  copy  was  known 
for  a  long  time.  The  rarest  book-plate  in  America 
is  probably  that  of  John  Franklin,  the  brother  of 
Benjamin  of  greater  fame.  This  plate  was  engraved 
by  Turner  of  Boston  during  the  years  when  that  city 
was  Franklin's  residence :  only  one  example  of  this 
plate  has  been  discovered. 

Probably  the  most  valuable  plate  of  all  our  early 
examples  is  General  George  Washington's.  This 
was  engraved  in  England  without  doubt.  It  is  of 
the  Chippendale  style,  and  in  appearance  is  no  more 
pleasing  than  many  others  ;  but  when  this  plate  is 
found  in  an  old  book  which  has  also  the  famous  sig- 
nature on  the  title-page,  the  price  of  the  book  bounds 
up  by  fifty-dollar  skips.  This  is  the  onlv  plate 
which  has  had  the  honor  (?)  of  being  thought  worth 
counterfeiting.  The  thing  was  done  in  order  to 
sell  at  a  higher  price  than  they  would  otherwise  have 
brought,  a  lot  of  books  at  an  auction  sale  in  the 
city  of  Washington.  The  fraud  was  exposed,  and 
the  buyers  paid  the  actual  worth  of  the  volumes,  and 
not  an  inflated  price.     The  plate  of  Bushrod  Wash- 


xxxiv  Introduction 


ington,  to  whom  the  General  bequeathed  Mt.  Vernon, 
bears  the  same  arms,  but  is  a  plate  of  more  preten- 
sion.     Both  of  these  are  of  extreme  interest. 

Hastening  on  to  the  plates  of  to-day,  we  stop  to 
mention  a  few  of  special  interest  or  beauty ;  the 
plate  of  the  late  Dr.  Holmes  depicting  the  cham- 
bered nautilus  is  one  of  the  finest,  and  is  the  one 
most  sought  for  by  collectors  over  the  sea ;  the 
chubby  cherub  on  George  Bancroft's  plate  holds  a 
panel  on  which  is  carved  the  motto  ;  the  plate  of 
Laurence  Hutton  is  very  attractive  (in  a  niche  of 
the  bookcase  stands  Thackeray  in  the  Donnybrook 
Fair  attitude ;  flanking  this  imposing  statue  are  the 
works  of  the  old  writers  of  fiction,  while  a  death- 
mask  lies  on  the  shelf  above) ;  the  plate  of  Thomas 
Bailey  Aldrich  shows  a  skull  on  which  a  daw  (?)  is 
perched  ;  and  the  plate  of  the  late  Edwin  Booth  was 
a  plain  armorial  design. 

New  plates  are  constantly  being  published,  and 
one  cannot  easily  select  a  few  from  the  great  supply 
of  excellent  ones,  to  speak  of.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
display  on  the  walls  will  be  of  interest,  as  showing 
the  development  of  the  art  of  the  book-plate.  It  is 
a  long  and  eventful  journey  from  the  plates  of  Al- 
bert Diirer  to  that  of  Dr.  Holmes ;  and  while  the 
old  Pirkheimer  plate  rouses  our  interest,  we  cannot 
deny  that  the  great  day  of  the  book-plate  is  just  at 
hand.  In  this  country  a  number  of  well-known 
artists  and  engravers  are  lending  their  aid  to  the 
great  object  of  the  artistic  expression  of  the  tastes 
of  the  owner  in  his  book-plate.  The  foremost 
engraver  of  plates  to-day  is  Mr.  Edwin  Davis 
French,  whose  designs    are   so  very  pleasing,  and 


Introduction  xxxv 


who  is  running  away  with  the  laurels  long  worn  by 
Mr.  Sherborn  of  England.  Essentially  the  same  in 
their  treatment  and  conception,  these  gentlemen  both 
owe  the  foundation  of  their  success  to  a  study  of  the 
old  German  masters.  Mr.  W.  F.  Hopson  of  New 
Haven  has  made  some  very  handsome  plates;  Mr. 
Edmund  H.  Garrett,  the  illustrator  of  books,  is  the 
leader  in  the  etched  plate  ;  and  Mr.  George  Wharton 
Edwards  has  certainly  made  the  most  artistic  designs 
for  process  reproduction. 

The  interest  in  the  subject  of  book-plates  is 
rapidly  spreading  over  this  country  :  new  collectors 
continually  arise,  and  where  there  were  a  dozen  when 
in  1886  Mr.  Hutton  wrote  his  articles  in  the  Book- 
Buyer  on  our  early  plates,  there  are  now  well  over 
one  hundred,  and  it  is  difficult  to  keep  pace  with 
newspaper,  pamphlet,  and  book  as  they  are  rapidly 
published,  containing  more  or  less  of  interest  to  the 
collector. 

Exhibitions  have  been  held  at  the  Grolier  Club, 
in  Nev/  York  City,  the  first  in  the  country ;  at  the 
Rowfant  Club  in  Cleveland  by  the  Buffalo  Society 
of  Artists  ;  and  one  has  been  open  for  the  past  few 
days  at  Brentano's  in  New  York  :  the  latest  event 
to  be  added  to  this  list  is  the  present  attempt  to 
interest  the  Graduates'  Club. 


Germany 

Voll  Kreuz  und  Trubsal  ist  der  Weg, 
Darauf  ich  hier  muss  gehen, 

Und  leiden  viel  geheime  Schlag, 

Das  macht  zu  end  der  lange  Kampf  und  Streit, 
So  geh  ich  ein  zur  stillen  Ewigkeit. 

1791 


GERMANY 

IN  looking  over  the  albums  of  the  book-plate 
collector  one  naturally  turns  first  of  all  to  the 
plates  of  Germany  ;  for  here  the  book-plate  had 
its  birth,  here  the  printing  of  books  was  in- 
vented, and  here  too  the  science  of  heraldry,  an 
important  adjunct  of  the  early  book-plate,  was  first 
made  use  of;  for  one  can  hardly  claim  that  the  lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah  or  the  owl  of  Athens  or  the 
crocodile  of  Egypt,  associated  with  these  tribes  or 
nations  as  a  particular  sign  though  they  were,  shall 
be  called  heraldic  in  the  sense  in  which  we  under- 
stand the  term.  The  old  German  plates  are  ex- 
ceedingly quaint  in  conception,  rough  in  design,  and 
heavy  in  general  appearance.  Wood-cuts  of  course 
they  are,  executed  with  the  skill  of  the  wood-cutters 
of  the  blocks  used  in  the  books  of  the  period.  It 
is  true  that  they  will  not  interest  on  account  of  any 
artistic  quality,  but  how  interesting,  indeed  how 
precious,  do  they  become  as  they  bring  one  into 
touch  with  those  old  days  when  the  art  of  printing 
was  young,  when  the  craft  of  the  wood-cutter  was 
nearing  the  end  of  its  unquestioned  reign,  and  when 
the  clumsy  wood-covered  tome  was  to  give  way  to 
the  daintily  wrought  leather  with  its  intricate  and 


2  Ex  Libris 

becoming  designs.  The  beginnings  of  things  are 
always  of  importance  and  interest;  for  even  if  in 
themselves  they  offer  little  to  the  eye,  the  mind 
finds  meanings  in  them.  So  these  uncouth  prints 
which  have  in  themselves  nothing  to  recommend 
them  still  possess  the  charm  of  an  icon  of  the  times. 
There  is  this  characteristic  to  be  observed  about  the 
German  book-plate  :  It  has  a  strength  both  of  de- 
sign and  execution  that  some  others  lack.  There  is 
boldness,  surety,  and  purpose  in  it,  while  in  so  many 
of  later  date,  and  of  other  countries  especially,  there 
is  weakness,  diffuseness,  and  a  want  of  purpose  which 
is  made  up  for  by  prettiness  of  detail  and  over- 
abundance of  ornament.  The  very  hardness  of  the 
German  plates  brings  to  mind  the  conditions  of  the 
times,  and  gives  a  suggestion  of  power  and  life  which 
is  fulfilled  in  the  vitality  and  strength  of  present- 
day  German  art.  Out-of-door  scenes  are  largely 
pictured  upon  these  plates  ;  strong-limbed  goddesses 
of  the  hunt,  merchants,  scholars,  students,  phy- 
sicians, astronomers,  are  imaged  upon  them.  The 
instruments  they  used  in  the  pursuit  of  their  studies, 
and  the  surroundings  with  which  they  were  familiar, 
are  given,  and  one  learns  from  them  not  a  little  of 
contemporary  life.  Immense  libraries  there  were  in 
those  days  ;  princely  gifts  of  books  were  made  to 
them,  and  plates  to  commemorate  the  munificence 
of  a  patron  are  not  infrequently  met  with.  One  of 
the  finest  of  these  is  the  old  plate  of  the  Electoral 
Library  of  Bavaria,  in  which  the  arms  of  Bavaria 
are  placed  within  a  richly  designed  shield  with  cary- 
atids to  support  the  frame.  This  is  dated  1618. 
In  another  plate  of  somewhat  later  date  one  sees 


Germany  3 

the  interior  of  the  book-room,  with  tiers  of  shelves 
filled  with  books  running  along  the  walls,  and  lead- 
ing out  upon  the  tree-lined  court  within  which  plays 
a  fountain.  Surely  a  desirable  spot  in  which  to  sit 
with  one's  favorite  book.  Upon  a  very  dainty  plate 
coming  from  the  city  of  Ulm,  in  Wiirtemberg,  there 
is  a  delightful  little  vignette  giving  a  picture  of  St. 
Christopher  bringing  the  Christ-child  through  the 
stream  as  the  legend  relates.  One  sees  the  strong- 
framed  Offerus  pushing  his  way  through  the  tide 
with  the  child  upon  his  shoulder.  This  bearing  of 
the  child  in  safety  won  for  the  giant  the  name  of 
Christopher,  which  possessing  three  days,  he  died 
and  was  canonized. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  early  dated 
wood-cut  book-plates  thus  far  discovered,  and  one  of 
the  largest  in  size,  is  that  of  Baldasser  Beniwalt  de 
Walestat,  who  was  known  as  Episcopus  I'rojanus  in 
Phrygia  as  early  as  1491,  so  that  the  collector  has 
good  reason  to  believe  the  date  1502,  which  appears 
in  a  curious  combination  of  Arabic  and  Roman 
numerals  upon  the  plate,  is  authentic  and  correct. 
The  date  is  given  like  this,  I50II.  The  plate  has 
an  invocation  to  Jesus,  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
and  to  Santa  Anna,  while  their  initials  appear  upon 
the  flaming  trees  which  form  the  heraldic  charges  of 
the  shield.  From  these  charges  it  is  deduced  that  this 
Bishop  Balthasar  belonged  to  the  patrician  family 
of  Brennwald,  which  since  the  fourteenth  century 
has  been  settled  in  Zurich.  The  arms  come  under 
the  term  canting^  as  they  stand  for  the  burning 
forest,  representative  of  the  name, —  Brennwald 
{brennen^  to   burn,  and  IVald^  a  forest).     Over  the 


4  Ex   Libris 

shield  the  mitre  of  the  bishop  is  placed,  and  upon 
either  side  are  figures  of  Santa  Anna  and  the  Virgin 
supporting  the  Child.  The  plate  is  spirited  in 
design  and  execution,  and  is  an  excellent  and  rare 
specimen  of  the  early  ecclesiastical  book-plate.  But 
two  copies  of  this  are  thus  far  unearthed,  and  these 
are  in  the  library  of  Lausanne. 

There  is  an  attractive  plate  belonging  to  a  lady 
of  the  family  of  Vander  Aa,  among  whom  were 
some  famous  engravers  and  printers,  members  of 
that  branch  following  these  arts  for  two  centuries. 
This  plate  is  dated  1597,  and  it  has  a  heavy  wood- 
cut border  with  bears,  wyverns,  flowers,  and  fruit 
showing  in  the  abundant  scroll-work.  Movable 
type  was  used  in  the  printing  of  the  name,  and 
the  97  of  the  date,  which  is  in  old  Roman  numerals, 
is  queerly  expressed  thus,  100  —  3.  This  family 
has  branches  at  Antwerp,  Delft,  and  Leyden  ;  and 
the  Anna  Vander  Aa,  whose  plate  is  described,  was 
probably  the  wife  or  the  daughter  of  one  of  the 
wealthy  burghers  who  carried  on  the  engraving 
and  printing  trades. 

One  of  the  most  notable  plates  of  early  Germany 
is  the  large  one  —  it  measures  thirteen  inches  by 
nine  —  which  was  used  by  the  prior  of  St.  Law- 
rence's Church  in  Nuremberg,  Dr.  Hector  Pomer. 
The  plate  is  a  remarkably  fine  specimen  of  early 
engraving  on  wood,  and  bears  some  resemblance 
to  the  celebrated  Death's  Head  Coat-of-Arms  en- 
graved by  Albrecht  Diirer.  Indeed,  there  are  some 
features  of  workmanship  displayed  in  it  which  excel 
that  print.  This  Pomer  plate  shows  the  arms  of 
the  prior's  family  quartered  with  the  gridiron,  the 


Germany  5 

instrument  of  martyrdom  upon  which  the  patron 
saint  of  the  abbey  ended  his  life.  There  is  the 
usual  accompaniment  of  rich  mantling,  and  above 
the  helmet  is  a  demi-nun  in  hood  and  cloak.  A 
figure  of  St.  Lawrence,  some  eight  inches  high, 
stands  at  one  side  of  the  shield  as  a  supporter,  and 
the  expression  of  his  face  is  at  once  tender,  lofty, 
and  pathetic.  He  bears  upon  the  right  shoulder 
the  palm  of  victory,  while  the  gridiron  is  again 
visible  at  his  side,  the  handle  in  his  hand.  A 
nimbus  encircles  the  noble  head. 

Christoph  Jacob  Trew,  M.D.,  was  a  botanist  of 
distinction,  a  resident  of  Nuremberg,  and  the  author 
of  several  important  works  as  well  as  the  possessor 
of  a  valuable  library  in  which  were  some  thirty 
thousand  volumes  and  seventeen  thousand  pam- 
phlets, which  at  his  death  he  bequeathed,  along 
with  his  large  collection  of  physical  and  chirurgical 
instruments,  his  herbarium,  and  his  natural  history 
cabinets,  to  the  University  of  Altdorf,  where  he  re- 
ceived his  education  and  his  degree.  He  had  no  less 
than  seven  book-plates  engraved.  The  differences 
between  them  are  slight,  and  the  description  of  one 
will  suffice.  This  plate  was  engraved  about  1760, 
and  is  in  the  best  manner  of  the  rococo  style,  show- 
ing the  arms  of  the  learned  owner  within  a  fancifully 
designed  border  of  shell-work,  below  which  is  ap- 
pended the  cartouche,  which  adds  no  little  interest 
to  the  plate,  for  within  its  graceful  outline  sits 
contentedly  a  very  peaceable  looking  member  of  the 
canine  family.  The  doctor's  name  Trew,  which  may 
have  had  the  variant  Treu,  signifies  the  quality  of 
loyalty  ;  and  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  dog  here 


6  Ex  Librls 

depicted  stood  not  only  for  a  representation  of  the 
favored  pet  of  the  scholar,  but  as  well  for  a  play 
upon  his  name.  This  plate  is  handsomely  engraved, 
the  background  being  filled  in  with  what  is  some- 
times termed  the  "  brick  wall  pattern." 

Among  German  plates  there  is  one  of  extreme 
rarity  and  value  which  was  the  property  of  one 
Johann  Bernard  Nack,  a  citizen  and  merchant  of 
Frankfurt.  This  gentleman  conceived  the  idea  of 
having  a  very  elaborate  book-plate,  and  entrusted 
its  designing  to  one  Osterlander  and  its  engraving 
to  St.  Hilaire.  In  the  print,  as  finally  completed 
by  these  artists,  we  see  the  library  of  the  owner, 
with  its  shelves  of  goodly  books  before  which  sits 
the  Goddess  of  Learning,  and  to  whom  the  master 
himself  presumably  addresses  himself.  The  ships 
of  this  prosperous  merchant  lie  in  the  offing,  and 
his  employees  are  landing  from  them  the  boxes 
and  bales  containing  the  goods  in  which  he  deals. 
The  drawing  of  the  picture  one  can  hardly  judge 
of,  as  its  execution  is  so  far  from  satisfactory.  At 
any  rate  the  merchant  himself  found  fault  with  it, 
for  it  is  known  that  he  commissioned  a  lady  en- 
graver by  the  name  of  Wicker  to  re-engrave  the 
plate.  Copies  of  the  first  plate  are  not  easily  found, 
and  copies  of  this  second  one,  while  not  so  rare,  have 
an  added  value  in  that  they  are  printed  on  the  back 
of  the  old  one.  From  this  it  would  seem  that 
having  used  a  few  of  the  first  lot,  M.  Nack  be- 
came so  dissatisfied  that  he  gave  his  order  for  the 
others,  and  having  a  quantity  of  the  first  unused 
he  had  the  new  engraving  printed  upon  their  backs. 
As  the  paper  of  those  days  was  tough  and  thick, 


Germany  y 

it  was  able  to  take  the  second  impression  without 
damage.  Those  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  have 
copies  of  these  prints  in  both  states  in  their  col- 
lections may  well  believe  that  they  have  some  of 
the  rarest  of  German  plates.  The  second  engrav- 
ing of  the  plate  is  much  superior  to  the  first.  The 
date  is  about  1760. 

A  plate  of  a  little  later  date,  and  engraved  by  a 
famous  artist,  is  that  of  C.  S.  Schinz,  a  doctor  of 
medicine.  This  is  by  Daniel  Nikolaus  Chodowiecki, 
who  was  an  engraver  and  miniature-painter  of  renown. 
He  found  employment  in  Berlin,  where  he  did  a 
great  amount  of  work  for  the  book-men,  and  his 
work  is  regarded  as  of  great  merit  for  its  originality 
and  spirit.  In  his  work  he  displayed  a  strong  touch 
of  satire  which  won  for  him  the  title  of  "  the 
Hogarth  of  Germany."  The  plate  of  Dr.  Schinz  is 
a  very  interesting  example  of  his  work,  affording 
within  its  small  compass  effective  proof  of  his  abil- 
ity in  designing  and  engraving.  In  the  foreground 
the  successful  physician,  clad  in  academic  robes,  is 
chasing  from  the  door  of  a  tent,  within  which  lies 
the  convalescent  patient,  the  very  angel  of  death 
himself,  who,  with  an  expression  of  fear  and  rage 
upon  his  bony,  fleshless  features,  hastens  with  his 
reaping-knife  over  his  shoulder  to  escape  the  de- 
scending blow  of  the  symbolic  rod  of  i^sculapius, 
with  which  the  doctor  threatens  him.  This  is  con- 
ceived in  the  spirit  of  satire  for  which  its  engraver 
was  noted.  The  conception  of  the  successful  defeat 
of  the  messenger  of  death,  when  even  at  the  bedside 
of  his  patient,  is  well  calculated  to  please  the  doctor 
and  to  increase  his  practice  among  such  sufferers  as 


8  Ex   Libris 

might  happen  to  see  it.  Chodowiecki  died  in  Berlin 
in  iSoi,  and  this  plate,  which  is  dated  1792,  was  en- 
graved when  he  was  about  sixty-six  years  of  age. 

Chodowiecki  had  a  book-plate  himself,  of  an  alle- 
gorical character,  which  showed  a  figure  of  the  god- 
dess Cybele,  with  two  children,  one  with  wings,  at 
her  many  breasts ;  foliage  sweeps  above,  while  the 
palette,  brushes,  and  other  accessories  of  the  studio 
are  gathered  below.  Although  the  plate  is  not 
signed,  it  is  known  to  have  been  the  work  of  the 
famous  engraver  himself. 

Coming  down  to  present  times  and  glancing  at 
the  plates  of  to-day  in  Germany,  one  finds  far  fewer 
engravings  than  formerly,  and  discovers  that  the 
majority  of  plates  there  are  now  produced  by  lithog- 
raphy. Although  Senefelder,  the  inventor  of  the 
art  of  lithography,  was  born  an  Austrian,  the  devel- 
opment of  the  art  was  carried  on  upon  German  soil, 
so  that  this  art  may  properly  be  added  to  the  list  of 
important  inventions  which  Germany  has  giv^en  the 
world.  The  plates  of  recent  date  in  Germany  do 
not  compare  favorably  with  those  of  the  older  times, 
when  engraving  either  on  wood  or  copper  was 
always  employed  in  their  production.  There  is  a 
deal  of  color  employed,  which  is  not  always  to  the 
taste  of  the  book-plate  collector,  and  then,  too,  in 
the  very  abundance  of  the  plates,  there  would  seem 
to  be  a  reason  for  their  weakness.  Designers  are 
too  prolific.  There  is  too  much  sameness  to  interest 
the  collector,  and  as  the  lithographic  process  does 
not  admit  of  the  individuality  of  the  engraved  plate, 
they  suffer  in  this  lack  of  that  desirable  character- 
istic of  the  individual  personal  touch.     Of  present- 


Germany  9 

day  designers  there  are  none  to  compare  with  Joseph 
Sattler,  a  native  of  Schrobenhausen  in  Bavaria,  and 
who  has  studied  at  the  Academy  in  Munich.  Here 
he  revolted  from  the  routine,  however,  feehng  that 
copying  from  the  classic  antique  was  valueless  to 
him;  and  leaving  the  institution,  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  striking  emblematic  imagery  of  ancient 
German  art,  and  when  he  found  the  revival  of  the 
art  of  the  book-plate  invading  Germany,  he  was  pre- 
pared to  furnish  an  effective  impetus.  His  work  is 
characterized  by  extraordinary  fertility  of  invention, 
his  designs  having  the  merit  of  separate  creations, 
and  not  being,  as  is  the  case  with  many  workers,  a 
mere  rearrangement  of  old  motives,  of  used-up 
features.  The  mediaeval  is  strong  in  all  his  work, 
and  while  heraldry  plays  but  a  small  part  in  it,  it  yet 
has  the  rich  appearance  of  the  old  heraldic  drawing. 
hie  depicts  with  great  success  the  face  and  figure  of 
the  reader  or  the  student,  whether  in  caricature  or 
from  fancy,  and  all  the  accessories  which  the  idea  of 
the  book-plate  necessarily  implies  are  so  skilfully 
managed  as  never  to  seem  hackneyed  or  in  any  way 
outworn.  When  he  employs  color,  it  is  always  sub- 
dued and  exactly  suited  in  tint  to  the  subject  in  hand. 
Another  important  feature  of  his  designs  lies  in  his 
felicitous  disposition  of  the  name  and  the  motto  of 
the  owner.  So  often  do  these  necessary  adjuncts 
embarrass  the  designer,  that  to  find  one  with  whom 
their  arrangement  is  easy  and  satisfactory  one  cannot 
but  remark  it.  He  has  published  a  book  of  forty- 
two  designs,  which  is  valuable  as  a  work  of  art  as 
well  as  an  indication  of  what  the  book-plate  may  be 
when  designed  by  a  master. 


lO  Ex   Libris 

Of  present-dav  German  plates  that  of  H.I.M. 
the  Empress  of  Germany  is  interesting  from  its  pos- 
sessor, as  well  as  because  of  the  design  itself,  which  rep- 
presents  two  shields  held  upon  either  arm  of  an  angel ; 
the  shield  upon  the  right  arm  bears  the  arms  of  the 
Fatherland,  while  those  of  England  occupy  the  first 
and  third  quarters  of  the  other.  The  royal  crown 
rises  above  the  head  of  the  angel,  who  stands  upon 
a  cloudy  platform. 


France 

J'appartiens  a  Marie-Elisabeth-Joseph  Weigel,  rue  de  Baudimont, 

Hotel  de  Carnin 

De  Plaire  a  ma  chere  Maitresse 
Pour  moi  est  un  bien  charmant ; 
Et  plus  iidele  qu'un  Amant, 
J'ai  plus  de  droit  a  sa  tendresse. 

Lu  de  ma  Maitresse  avec  zele 
J'aime  mon  Etre  tel  qu'il  est ; 

Si  jamais  elle  me  perdoit, 

Je  perdrois  encore  plus  qu'elle. 

Perdu,  si  vous  me  retrouviez, 
Manez-moi  vers  celle  que  j'aime  ; 
Si  Ton  m'avoit  donne  des  pieds, 
J'y  retournerois  de  moi-meme. 

Voudrois-je  etre  a  d'autres?  oh  non! 
De  peur  d'un  nouvel  esclavage, 
Je  veux  que  toujours  son  Nom 
Brille  sur  ma  premiere  page. 


SD.Gallaudet 


89 


II 

FRANCE 

THE  collectors  of  ex  libris  in  France  include 
under  this    term    not    only   the    engraved 
labels  which  were  pasted  into  the  cover  of 
the  book,  but  as  w^ll  the  heraldic  marks 
of  ownership  which  are  stamped  upon  the  binding. 
To  these  the  English-speaking  collectors  have  usu- 
ally given  the  term,  super  libros. 

Richelieu  and  Mazarin  had  large  collections  of 
books  upon  the  covers  of  which  their  arms  were 
stamped,  and  Mazarin  was  very  particular  as  to  the 
binding  of  his  volumes,  and  put  them  in  the  hands 
of  only  the  most  skilful,  Le  Gascon,  Saulnier,  and 
Petit  among  them.  The  binders  were,  in  fact,  con- 
stantly employed  in  his  library  under  his  personal 
supervision,  and  upon  some  of  these  he  had  the 
conceit  to  place  the  lines,  Anna  Julii  ornant  Fran- 
cianiy  "  The  arms  of  Jules,  the  ornament  of  France," 
The  books  of  Jean  Grolier,  the  veritable  prince 
of  bibliophiles,  were  not  marked  with  a  book-plate, 
but  by  gold  stamping  upon  the  elegant  binding  with 
which  his  treasures  were  so  richly  furnished.  His 
library  numbered  fully  three  thousand  volumes,  which 
was  indeed  a  large  one  for  the  days  of  early  printing, 
and  all  of  them  were  bound  sumptuously.     At  his 

13 


14  Ex   Libris 

death  this  collection  passed  into  the  hands  of  Emeric 
de  Vic,  who  was  Keeper  of  the  Seals,  and  who  left  them 
to  his  son,  upon  whose  death  they  were  finally  dis- 
persed, many  of  the  books  flilling  into  the  hands  of 
appreciative  collectors. 

The  earliest  dated  French  book-plate  has  upon  it 
the  following  legend  :  — 

Ex  Bibliotheca 

Caroli  Albofij  E.  Eduenfis 

Ex  labore  quies 

1574- 

For  some  time  this  plate  was  thought  to  belong 
to  some  one  of  the  name  of  Charles  d'Alboise ;  but 
it  is  well  established  now  that  it  was  the  plate  of 
Charles  d'Aileboust,  Bishop  of  Autun,  whose  father 
had  been  the  physician  of  Francis  I.,  and  who  died 
at  Fontainebleau  in  the  year  1531.  This  Bishop  of 
Autun  is  mentioned  in  history  as  a  man  of  distin- 
guished appearance,  of  great  learning,  of  courtly 
manners,  and  of  an  amiable  disposition.  While 
connected  with  the  Church  he  was  also  favored  with 
Court  appointments,  and  he  died  in  the  town  of 
Autun  at  the  very  end  of  the  year  1585,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Church  of  St.  Jean-de-la-Grotte. 

Another  early  plate,  and  one  which  brings  to 
mind  a  magnificent  library  and  an  owner  of  note  in 
the  history  of  his  times,  is  that  of  Pierre  Seguier, 
Comte  de  Gien,  Chancclier  de  France.  He  was 
born  in  1588  and  he  died  in  1672,  having  spent  a 
long  life  and  an  active  in  the  service  of  his  country 
and  in  the  numerous  studies  and  pursuits  which 
appealed  to  him.     The  law,  science,  and  literature 


r  ranee  1 5 

were  favorite  subjects,  and  the  friendship  of  the 
most  scholarly  and  polite  circles  of  his  times  was 
his  delight.  With  abundant  wealth  he  was  enabled 
to  get  together  a  most  magnificent  collection  of 
printed  books  and  choice  manuscripts,  and  on  account 
of  his  position  of  power  and  influence  there  were 
many  who,  to  gain  his  good  graces,  made  him  pres- 
ents of  valuable  literary  treasures.  Antiene  Ruette 
was  the  binder  of  most  of  these  precious  volumes, 
and  Seguier,  who  lived  in  the  Rue  de  Bouloi,  had 
his  salons  decorated  by  the  celebrated  artist  Simon 
Vouet.  Here  his  receptions  were  crowded  by  men 
of  letters  and  by  those  holding  high  positions  in 
State  and  Church,  and  it  may  be  remembered  that 
among  his  most  distinguished  visitors  was  Christina 
of  Sweden.  After  his  death  his  books  were  carefully 
cared  for  by  his  widow ;  but  they  were  sold  upon 
her  death,  although  the  manuscripts  were  preserved 
and  are  now  to  be  seen  in  the  Bibliotheque  Natio- 
nale.  The  book-plate  which  adorned  many  of  his 
books  shows  his  arms  within  an  architectural  frame 
of  good  design,  and  over  this  is  thrown  the  ermine- 
lined  cloak  his  rank  entitled  him  to  wear. 

Two  very  interesting  plates,  dating  nearly  at  the 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  were  used  by  the 
College  of  Jesuits  in  Paris  to  record  the  gifts  of 
two  munificent  benefactors  who  were  as  well  book- 
collectors  of  the  greatest  renown.  The  first  of 
these  was  to  record  the  gift  of  some  eight  thousand 
volumes^  and  many  manuscripts  from  Pierre  Daniel 
Huet,  Eveque  d'Avranches.  The  good  Bishop 
presented  these  books  during  his  lifetime,  and  the 
Jesuit  fathers   gave  permanent  expression   to  their 


l6  Ex   Libris 

gratitude  in  the  book-plate  which  shows  the  arms 
of  the  Bishop,  and  which  they  had  made  in  four 
sizes.  The  other  plate  was  for  the  legacy  of  some 
two  thousand  volumes  from  the  library  of  Gilles 
Menage,  Doyen  de  St.  Pierre  d'Angers.  The  plate 
recording  the  gift  of  the  Dean  is  not  so  elaborate 
as  the  other,  but  it  carries  with  it  the  distinction  of 
bearing  a  good  date,  1692.  Neither  of  these  good 
churchmen  seem  to  have  used  book-plates,  for  the 
bindings  of  their  books  were  stamped  with  their 
arms.  An  account  of  these  libraries  may  be  found 
in  U  Armorial  du  Bibliophile. 

The  three  daughters  of  Louis  XV.  had  books  of 
their  own  which  were  bound  by  Vente,  binder  and 
librarian  to  the  king.  Probably  the  books  of 
Madame  Adelaide  entitle  her  alone  of  the  three  to 
a  place  among  book-lovers,  though  the  others  cer- 
tainly owned  some  books.  All  their  books  had 
stamped  upon  the  binding  the  same  design,  but 
each  had  her  books  bound  in  a  different  color,  — 
those  of  Madame  Adelaide  being  in  red,  those  of 
Madame  Victoire  in  green,  and  for  those  of  the 
youngest,  the  Princess  Sophie,  citron  was  chosen. 
The  Princess  Adelaide  was  the  most  intellectual  of 
them  all,  while  to  her  next  sister  belonged  the 
largest  measure  of  personal  beauty  and  charm  of 
manner.  Sophie  was  considered  dull  and  silent, 
but  in  reality  her  manner  was  due  more  to  reflec- 
tion than  to  a  natural  lack  of  pleasing  qualities. 
She  used  to  read,  before  all  other  books,  the  lives  of 
the  Saints  and  such  moral  essays  as  came  her  way. 

There  is  a  very  charming  plate,  once  the  property 
of  M.  de  Joubert,  about  which  little  is  known,  but 


France  17 

which  belongs  to  the  Louis  XV.  period,  and  which 
shows  the  interior  of  the  Hbrary  of  the  owner.  The 
books  are  ranged  in  this  case  behind  a  rich  curtain, 
and  only  the  top  rows  are  to  be  seen  ;  these  are  in 
curved  shelves  fitting  the  dome  which  crowned  the 
library.  The  arms  of  M.  de  Joubert  are  on  the 
curtain,  and  the  usual  rich  ornamentation  of  flowers 
and  ribbons  is  displayed  to  good  advantage.  In  a 
copy  of  VEtat  de  la  France  published  in  1749, 
M.  de  Joubert  is  called  Chevalier,  which  explains 
the  De  on  his  book-plate,  and  shows  him  by  its 
record  to  have  been  holding  at  that  date  the  office 
of  Tresorier  des  Etats  de  Languedoc. 

There  is  a  little  group  of  three  book-plates  extant 
which,  to  the  student  of  French  history,  should  seem 
of  special  importance,  inasmuch  as  they  owe  their 
existence  to  the  career  of  that  most  remarkable 
woman  Joan  of  Arc.  It  is  true  that  she  used  no 
book-plate  herself  and  that  she  can  hold  no  place 
with  the  women  bibliophiles  of  her  country,  but 
it  is  interesting  to  find  her  arms  as  designed  by 
Charles  VII.  himself  used  upon  these  plates  of  her 
descendants.  The  hand  holding  the  sword  was  the 
device  borne  by  the  Maid  and  hers  was  the  motto, 
Consilio  firmata  Dei^  "  Strengthened  by  consent  of 
God."  Her  third  brother  bore  among  other  titles 
those  of  Chevalier  du  Luys  and  Seigneur  de  I'lle- 
aux-Boeuf.  The  first  of  the  three  plates  is  anony- 
mous, and  consists  of  two  shields  accolle  bearing  the 
arms  of  Gauthier  and  Hordal  du  Luys  with  crest, 
helmet,  and  mantling  above,  as  usual.  This  is  in 
the  German  style.  The  second  is  very  rare,  and 
dates  from  the  time  of  Louis  XVI.,  being  that  of 


1 8  Ex  Libris 

Claud  Francois  Pagel  de  Vautoux,  whose  family 
was  connected  with  the  Maid's  by  marriage.  The 
arms  of  the  two  families  are  supported  by  no  less  a 
personage  upon  the  dexter  side  than  Charles  VII. 
himself,  while  Joan  grants  similar  service  upon  the 
sinister  side.  There  is  also  some  ornamentation, 
and  a  landscape  at  the  foot  shows  in  its  distance 
trees  and  a  castle,  perhaps  in  remembrance  of  the 
exploits  of  the  Maid  on  the  field  of  battle  and  be- 
fore the  walls  of  castles.  The  third  of  these  plates 
is  simpler  than  the  others,  and  shows  the  arms  of 
Du  Luys  with  the  coronet  above.  This  belonged 
to  Nicolas  Francois  Alexandre  de  Haldat  du  Luys. 
Surely,  all  will  admit  the  deep  interest  which 
attaches  to  these  plates,  with  their  plain  indebted- 
ness to  the  famous  deeds  of  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  personages  of  history,  for  their  very 
being. 

A  little  plate  dated  1772  bearing  the  legend, 
Livres  de  Mr.  T'erray  Maitre  des  Reqiietes^  brings 
to  mind  the  scandalous  corruption  of  morals  and 
politics  of  the  times  of  Louis  XV.  Terray  was 
one  of  the  boldest  and  most  dissolute  of  those  men 
who  by  their  conduct  of  public  affairs,  and  the  profli- 
gacy of  their  private  life,  were  in  no  small  measure 
responsible  for  the  sad  condition  of  France,  and  for 
the  Revolution  which  succeeded  her  wrecked  credit 
and  general  distress.  Surely  he  did  collect  a  fine 
library  of  books,  and  employed  not  a  few  good  book- 
binders ;  but  as  these  are  the  only  good  traits  one 
finds  recorded  of  him,  it  cannot  be  thought  that  the 
books  were  properly  his,  or  the  bindings  paid  for  with 
money  rightfully  his  to  be  used  on  private  matters. 


France  1 9 

In  Ouerard's  La  France  Litter  aire  there  are  a  few 
biographical  details  of  Thomas  Simon  Gueulette,  a 
dramatist  of  some  renown  towards  the  close  ot  the 
eighteenth  century.  This  distinguished  author  used 
a  striking  book-plate  engraved  by  H.  Becat,  and 
by  the  legend  upon  it  we  judge  the  learned  writer 
to  have  been  a  generous  lender  of  books.  It  reads 
as  do  so  many  of  that  and  earlier  periods,  Ex  Libris 
Thorns  Gueulette  et  Amicorum.  But  the  design  it- 
self is  worth  a  moment's  notice  as  showing  more 
invention  and  originality  than  was  common  among 
his  contemporaries.  The  arms  are  shown  of  course, 
and  about  them  for  supporters  are  four  figures  which 
by  their  dress  are  seen  at  once  to  represent  an  Ital- 
ian Arlequin,  a  Tartar,  a  Chinese  Mandarin,  and  a 
Cyclops  in  whose  arms  reposes,  or  more  properly 
struggles,  an  infant.  A  familiarity  with  the  writings 
of  this  dramatic  master  shows  these  figures  to  be 
representative  of  his  works.  Up  in  the  sky  above 
the  figures  there  is  a  figure  of  Cupid  bearing,  as  he 
flies,  a  streaming  ribbon  on  which  are  these  words, 
Duke  est  desipere  in  loco^  and  which  have  been  trans- 
lated in  the  following  happy  manner,  by  a  lover  of 
books  and  book-plates  in  London  :  — 

"  Dulce^  —  Delightful  says  the  poet. 
Est — is  it,  and  right  well  we  know  it, 
Desipere  —  to  play  the  fool, 
In  loco  —  when  we're  out  of  school." 

The  next  plate  of  historic  interest  brings  vividly 
to  mind  that  day  in  November,  1793,  when  the  tum- 
bril, having  made  many  trips  to  the  guillotine,  came 
at  last  for  its  final  load  of  two  condemned  mortals, 


20  Ex   Libris 

Lamarche,  a  trembling  old  man,  and  Madame  Ro- 
land, still  young  and  winsome.  Unnoticed  alike  by 
the  crowd  were  her  youth  and  beauty,  and  the  tears 
of  her  weaker  companion.  They  shouted,  "  A  la 
guillotine,"  and  to  her  gay  rejoinder  that  she  was 
going  there,  they  retorted  with  language  of  the  vilest 
and  grossest  sort.  Arrived  at  last  at  the  Place  de  la 
Concorde,  they  see  the  instrument  of  death  set  up 
under  a  huge  clay  figure  of  Liberty,  noticing  which 
the  brave  little  woman  stepped  to  her  fate  with  the 
words  "  Oh  !  Liberty,  Liberty  !  how  many  crimes  are 
committed  in  thy  name."  Firmly  she  walked  to 
the  place  of  death,  and  in  a  few  moments  her  head 
rolled  into  the  waiting  basket.  Thus  at  the  age  of 
thirty-nine  died  Marie-Jeanne  Phlippon  Roland,  one 
of  the  most  noble  and  highly  gifted  women  her 
country  ever  saw,  and  whose  husband,  unwilling  to 
live  without  her,  was  found  dead  the  next  week  with 
his  stiletto  still  sticking  in  his  heart.  The  book- 
plate of  Madame  Roland  was  prettily  designed  and, 
in  addition  to  the  shields  of  arms,  was  embellished 
with  cupids,  with  figures  of  Religion  and  Justice, 
and  with  the  representation  of  two  hearts  and  a 
celestial  crown  above  the  pyramid  which  formed 
the  background  of  the  whole  design.  It  is  of 
extreme  interest,  not  only  to  the  collector  of  book- 
plates, but  to  those  who  find  something  worthy  of 
attention  in  the  story  of  the  persecuted  Huguenot 
families. 

Lavoisier,  the  chief  founder  of  modern  chemistry, 
and  whose  lamentable  execution  could  not  be  de- 
layed in  the  interests  of  science,  used  a  handsomely 
engraved  heraldic  plate   giving    his  name  with  the 


France  21 

titles  conferred  upon  him.     The  plate  is  signed  De 
la  Gordette  fecit.     It  has  no  motto. 

A  little  collection  of  books  still  preserved  with 
loving  care  was  once  the  property  of  Charlotte 
Corday.  No  engraved  book-plate  adorns  their 
simple  covers,  it  is  true ;  but  as  they  contain  what 
may  be  called  a  manuscript  plate,  they  are  eligi- 
ble to  mention  here,  particularly  as  their  owner's 
life  history  makes  them  of  rare  interest  and  value 
to  all  with  the  least  interest  in  history  or  biography. 
This  is  the  inscription  which  one  at  least  of  these 
books  contains,  C.  Corday  d' Armont^  Sainte  Trinite 
de  Caen  20  Decembre  lygo.  The  name  "  Charlotte  " 
in  monogram  also  accompanies  this.  It  is  quite 
likely  that  the  book  came  into  her  possession  very 
soon  after  she  had  come  to  the  Grand  Manoir  of 
old  Madame  de  Bretteville  to  live,  and  from  which 
place  she  set  forth  upon  her  errand  of  death.  She 
was  a  granddaughter  of  Corneille,  the  great  dramatic 
author,  the  founder  indeed  of  the  French  drama, 
and  as  a  child  she  was  taught  to  read  from  an  old 
copy  of  his  works.  It  was  for  some  three  years 
that  she  stayed  quietly  in  the  convent  at  Caen,  and 
she  had  many  books  then,  although  when  she  finally 
set  out  for  Paris,  she  gave  them  to  her  friends,  saving 
only  a  favorite  copy  of  Plutarch's  Lives.  Among 
her  intimate  friends  she  was  always  known  as  Marie, 
her  full  name  being  Marie  Anne  Charlotte,  and  in 
the  very  few  letters  now  known  in  her  handwriting 
she  signs  herself  Marie  de  Corday.  There  is  some 
surprise  that  her  name  has  come  down  to  us  as 
Charlotte  only.  The  death  of  Marat,  which  she 
accomplished,  doomed  her  to  the  scaffold,  and  some 


22  I'.x   Libris 

five  months  before  the  beheading  of  Madame  Roland 
she  ended  her  young  life.  In  writing  of  her  Lamar- 
tine  says,  "  There  are  deeds  so  mingled  with  pure 
intentions  and  culpable  means  that  we  know  not 
whether  to  pronounce  them  criminal  or  virtuous." 

The  Chevalier  d'Eon,  who  performed  so  many 
services  for  France  in  the  diplomatic  service  and 
whose  latter  years  were  so  strangely  occupied,  used 
a  book-plate  of  handsome  appearance.  The  arms 
are  on  an  oval  shield,  and  the  cross  of  his  order 
depends  therefrom,  while  skin-clad  men  carrying 
weapons  support  it.  A  helmet  and  the  motto, 
Vincit  amor  patri^e^  are  above  the  shield. 

One  occasionally  comes  across  a  small  book-plate 
of  oblong  form  Vv'hich  in  itself  is  not  especially  at- 
tractive, but  which  printed  from  the  genuine  copper  is 
of  the  greatest  interest  to  the  collector  of  books  and 
book-plates.  This  plate  shows  for  arms  eight  red 
balls  upon  a  silver  field  and  the  shield  is  supported 
by  griffons,  while  the  crests  and  banners  displayed 
above  assist  in  the  identification  of  the  plate.  The 
legend  below  runs  as  follows,  Bibliothlque  de  Coppet. 
This  is  the  book-plate  of  Madame  de  Stael.  This 
estimable  lady,  the  most  celebrated  authoress  of 
modern  times,  was  born  in  Paris  on  the  22d  of 
April,  1766,  and  the  name  given  her  was  Anne 
Louise  Germaine  Necker,  her  father  being  the 
Switzer,  Jacques  Necker,  the  celebrated  statesman 
and  minister  of  finance  who  did  so  much  for  poor 
Louis  XVL  Her  home  was  the  meeting-place  of 
the  literary  celebrities  of  the  day,  and  with  the  rarest 
opportunity  for  acquaintance  and  culture  this  lively 
girl  grew  up.      Married  to  the  Swedish  minister  at 


France  23 

the  Court  of  France,  Eric  Magnus  Stael  ,von  Hol- 
stein,  in  1786,  a  man  whom  she  did  not  love  but 
who  was  preferred  to  all  others  by  her  parents  be- 
cause he  was  a  Protestant,  she  received  an  immense 
dowry  from  her  father,  and  within  two  years  of  her 
marriage  her  first  literary  production  was  given  to 
the  world.  Banished  from  Paris  in  1802,  she  spent 
some  time  in  travelling  and  finally  settled  in  her 
father's  castle,  Coppet,  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Leman, 
the  haunt  of  genius,  where,  by  the  words  upon  her 
book-plate,  we  conclude  the  greater  part  of  her 
library  was  assembled.  Here  came  those  valiant 
supporters  of  her  ideas  to  condole  with  her,  here 
also  the  hordes  of  exiles,  here  later  that  gay  assem- 
blage of  her  best  friends  when  the  beautiful  Recamier 
listened  to  the  love-making  of  the  dashing  Prince 
August  of  Prussia.  Not  beautiful  itself,  with  the 
chateau  so  situated  as  not  to  command  a  view  of 
the  lake,  it  was  still  a  quiet  place  in  which  to  work, 
although  the  gifted  writer  much  preferred  the  excite- 
ment of  the  Rue  de  Bac. 

Such  magic  names  as  Byron,  Gibbon,  Shelley, 
Rousseau,  and  Voltaire  are  associated  with  Lake 
Leman,  and  as  one  comes  across  the  book-plate  of 
Madame  de  Stael  and  ponders  upon  the  eyes  which 
have  perchance  glanced  at  it  as  the  hands  of  famous 
men  or  women  opened  the  book  it  ornamented,  he 
can  but  feel  a  new  thrill  of  emotion  as  it  recalls  to 
him  the  history  of  those  times  of  terror  and  perse- 
cution to  its  owner. 

Under  the  First  Empire,  when  Napoleon  by  edict 
made  sweeping  changes  in  the  heraldic  customs  of 
his  people,  the  book-plates  are  not  very  interesting, 


24  Ex  Libris 

but  there  are  two  which  in  themselves  show  some 
pleasing  conceits.  These  are  of  Antoine  Pierre 
Augustin  de  Piis,  a  dramatist,  whose  plate  shows 
his  monogram  placed  on  a  palm  tree,  every  branch  of 
which  carries  the  name  of  a  well-known  singer,  as 
Panard,  Colle,  Fevart,  etc.,  and  below  appears  a 
list  of  vaudevilles  from  his  own  pen,  and  that  of 
M.  Dubuisson,  which  is  dated  1805,  and  represents 
a  chubby  cherub  carving  the  name  and  date  upon 
an  overhanging  rock. 

The  plate  of  Napoleon's  own  brother,  Lucien,  is 
worthy  of  mention  here,  as  it  represents  that  gifted 
man  at  about  the  period  of  his  greatest  glory.  The 
plate  is  quite  small,  and  displays  the  arms  in  an  oval 
shield  with  an  ermine  mantle  surmounted  with  the 
crown,  behind  it.  The  inscription  below  reads.  Ex 
Bibliotheca  Principis  Canini. 

In  his  book  on  the  French  book-plates  Mr.Walter 
Hamilton  regards  the  interesting  plate  of  Alphonse 
Karr,  the  author  and  editor,  as  marking  the  "division 
line  between  the  old  engraved  copper-plates  with 
their  stiff  and  formal  heraldry,  and  the  modern  etched 
plate  with  designs  free  and  graceful,  allegoric,  pic- 
torial, allusive,  humorous  —  anything,  in  fact,  that  is 
not  heraldic  or  in  which  at  least  if  there  be  anything 
of  an  armorial  nature,  it  is  made  subservient  to  the 
general  design  and  as  little  conspicuous  as  possible." 
The  plate  of  M.  Karr  represents  a  wasp  busily  writ- 
ing on  a  large  sheet  of  parchment.  Very  probably 
the  design  on  the  book-plate  was  to  conform  to  the 
title  of  his  satirical  periodical  monthly,  entitled  Les 
Giiepes.  This  plate  dates  about  1837.  Another 
plate  by  this  same  designer  deserves  mention  if  for 


France  25 

no  other  reason  than  on  account  of  its  motto,  Nun- 
quam  amicorum^  the  spirit  of  which  is  decidedly  op- 
posite to  that  of  his  fellow-countryman,  Jean  Grolier, 
upon  whose  many  beautiful  bindings  was  stamped 
the  words,  Jo.  Grolierii  et  amicorum.  Thomas  Maioli 
also  used  this  formula  upon  his  books,  but  he  seems 
to  have  suffered  from  his  book-loving  friends ;  for 
upon  some  of  his  bindings  the  generous  offer  of  his 
library  is  modified  by  the  addition  of  the  following, 
Ingratis  servire  nefas. 

Upon  a  small  plate  showing  the  arms  of  Mexico 
enclosed  within  an  oval  frame  and  supported  by 
griffons  and  showing  the  royal  crown  above,  the 
monogram  M.I.M.  is  seen.  To  this  plate  no  little 
interest  attaches,  as  it  was  used  by  the  ill-fated  but 
estimable  Maximilian,  Archduke  of  Austria  and 
Emperor  of  Mexico.  The  sad  story  of  the  un- 
happy ending  of  the  two  lives  which  were  begun 
together  with  such  brilliant  promise  of  happiness 
and  prosperity  is  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  many. 
Oh,  that  the  temptations  of  Napoleon  III.  had  not 
been  listened  to,  and  that  Maximilian  could  have 
remained  within  reach  of  his  beloved  Miramar ! 
He  did  not  understand  the  conditions  which  faced 
him  in  the  new  country;  he  was  possessed  of  per- 
sonal bravery  and  integrity,  but  he  lacked  the  in- 
sight of  the  general,  the  power  of  the  conqueror. 
How  can  one  read  with  anything  but  pity  of  the 
landing  of  this  misguided  man  and  his  expectant 
wife  upon  the  inhospitable  shores  where  death 
awaited  him  ?  With  what  pleasure  did  they  look 
forward  to  the  landing,  with  what  pomp  and  evi- 
dence of  welcome  and  rejoicing  did  they  expect  to 


26  Ex  Librls 

be  received,  and  with  what  bare  civility  were  they 
handed  from  the  boat  and  escorted  by  a  few  officials 
to  the  palace  !  Disappointment  from  the  first,  and 
still  no  comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  events  and 
circumstances  !  With  what  peculiar  power  of  hope 
must  he  have  been  endowed  to  have  been  able  dur- 
ing the  long  weeks  of  that  disastrous  experience  to 
keep  himself  within  doors  and  spend  his  time  devis- 
ing uniforms  for  the  royal  guard,  charts  of  prece- 
dence, and  orders  of  chivalry  !  Perhaps  even  this 
book-plate  was  designed  during  these  momentous 
days.  But  at  length,  with  the  withdrawal  of  the 
French  troops  and  the  more  threatening  attitude  of 
the  soldiers  under  Juarez,  came  the  understanding 
that  he  must  take  the  field.  With  nothing  to  sup- 
port him,  disaster  soon  overtook  him,  and  upon  the 
19th  day  of  June,  1867,  the  life  of  Maximilian  was 
ended  by  the  bullet  of  the  executioner.  A  tender 
and  cherished  memorial  of  him  is  this  book-plate. 

The  plate  of  the  Duchesse  de  Berry  shows  two 
oval  shields  with  sprigs  of  lilies  tied  about  them 
with  the  lac  d'amour.  Underneath  are  the  words 
Bibliotheque  de  Resney.  By  this  plate  and  the 
shields  of  arms  upon  it  Italy  and  France  are  con- 
nected, and  one  allows  the  mind  to  run  back  over 
the  events  which  brought  this  daughter  of  Ferdi- 
nand I.  of  Italy  to  be  the  bride  of  the  son  of 
Charles  X.  The  assassination  of  the  Duke  and  the 
Legitimist  support  of  the  claims  of  her  infant  son, 
the  Duke  of  Bordeaux,  and  the  rising  in  favor  of 
the  Duchesse  which  took  place  in  Brittany  in  1832 
only  to  be  ended  by  the  treachery  which  sent  her 
to  Sicily,  are   events   too  well    known  to  need  ex- 


France  27 

tended  mention.  The  book-plate  is  a  pretty  bit, 
and  with  its  memories  forms  a  desirable  addition  to 
the  collector's  album. 

Among  the  interesting  plates  of  French  celebri- 
ties that  of  Leon  Gambetta  should  be  mentioned. 
This  design  represents  the  dawn,  chanticleer  crow- 
ing with  might  and  main  in  one  corner,  while  above 
is  the  gallant  motto,  Vouloir  c  est  Potivoir.  This 
was  designed  and  engraved  by  INI.  Alphonse  Legros 
about  the  year  1874,  when  he  was  in  Paris  upon  the 
commission  of  Sir  Charles  Dilke  to  secure  a  portrait 
of  Gambetta,  and  the  suggestion  is  supposed  to 
have  come  from  M.  Poulet-Malassis.  The  curious 
thing  about  the  plate  is  that  M.  Gambetta  himself 
asserted  that  he  never  used  it  in  a  book  !  Proofs  of 
the  plate  are  known  in  four  states  and  all  very  rare, 
while  the  original  copper  itself  is  now  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  President  of  the  Societe  Fran9aise  des  Col- 
lectionneurs  d'Ex  Libris  in  Paris.  It  is  hardly  to  be 
expected  that  M.  Gambetta  had  many  books  or  had 
much  leisure  in  which  to  enjoy  them.  The  instincts 
of  the  bibliophile  are  not  to  be  credited  to  him. 

Curious  and  interesting  in  a  very  similar  way  is 
the  plate  of  M.  Victor  Hugo,  in  which  the  towers  of 
the  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame  are  seen  in  the  black- 
ness, relieved  by  a  jagged  flash  of  lightning  which 
passes  before  them  and  upon  which  is  the  name  of 
the  owner  of  the  plate.  A  monogram  is  also  given 
upon  the  front  of  the  building.  This  design  came 
from  the  mind  of  M.  Aglaus  Bouvenne  and  was 
drawn  in  1870. 

There  is  in  the  possession  of  a  French  collector 
an  original  letter  from  M.  Hugo  to  M.  Bouvenne 


2  8  Ex  LIbrls 

in  which  he  thanks  him  for  the  plate,  with  which  he 
expresses  himself  as  charmed,  and  adds,  "  Votre  ex 
libris  marquera  tous  les  livres  de  la  Bibliotheque  a 
Hautville  House."  The  letter  is  dated  from  Haut- 
ville  House,  lo  Juillet,  '70.  The  events  which 
occurred  shortly  after  this  letter  was  written  are  well 
remembered,  and  in  the  troubles  of  the  years  that 
followed  may  probably  be  found  an  explanation  of 
the  fact  that  the  plate  was  little  used  in  the  few 
books  (less  than  threescore)  of  which  the  noted 
novelist  and  historian  died  possessed. 

M.  Bouvenne  was  also  the  designer  of  the  plate 
of  M.  Theophile  Gautier,  who  was  not  only  a  novelist 
and  dramatist,  but  a  lover  of  books  and  who  had  a 
library  of  considerable  worth,  which  was  sold  after 
his  death  at  the  Hotel  Druout.  For  some  reason 
these  books  containing  the  plate  of  this  widely 
known  litterateur  brought  but  a  small  sum.  Pros- 
per-Merimee,  distinguished  as  a  novelist,  used  a 
book-plate  of  very  diminutive  proportions,  which  was 
designed  by  no  less  a  hand  than  that  of  Viollet- 
le-Duc. 

Paul  Lacroix,  eminent  as  a  bibliographer,  novelist, 
and  historian  of  the  arts,  sciences,  and  literature  of 
the  Middle  Ages,  used  a  very  simple  plate  to  denote 
his  ownership  of  a  book.  A  little  over  one  inch 
wide  by  a  little  less  than  two  long,  it  contained  a 
picture  of  a  pile  of  books  with  nude  children  about, 
an  inkstand,  lamp,  etc.  On  the  pages  of  an  open 
book  were  the  initials  and  nom-de-plume  of  the 
famous  librarian,  P.  L.  Jacob  Bibliophile.  The 
suitable  motto  read,  Livres  vielz  et  antiques  Livres 
nouveaux  Etienne  Do  let. 


HACC  SrVDIA  PCHMOCTANT  /^OBISCUM.OELCfTANT  DOMI.  fiOIS  IMPEDIUNT  FORIS. 


France  29 

Devambez  designed  a  very  pleasing  plate  for 
Charles  Monselet,  in  which  a  corner  of  the  latter's 
library  is  revealed :  a  curtain  drawn  back  holds  the 
owner's  name,  richly  bound  books  lie  upon  the 
floor,  —  it  is  assumed  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
their  handsome  sides  and  not  as  an  indication  of 
the  usual  appearance  of  the  room,  —  and  rolls  of 
manuscript  are  gathered  under  a  handsome    table. 

The  Vicomtesse  de  Bonnemains,  whose  influence 
over  the  late  General  Boulanger  is  said  to  have 
been  the  means  of  preventing  the  establishment  of 
the  Comte  de  Paris  on  the  throne  of  his  ancestors, 
uses  a  book-plate  of  the  usual  modern  French 
armorial  character.  Crowned  lions  support  the 
shields  accolle,  and  a  coronet  is  placed  above,  the 
design  being  enclosed  within  a  circle  and  its  back- 
ground being  bespattered  with  the  devices  of  Diane 
de  Poitiers,  so  well  known  upon  her  book-bindings. 

The  book-plate  of  modern  France  is  characterized 
by  a  certain  quality  of  lightness  and  gracefulness 
which,  while  pretty  in  its  way,  does  not  hide  the  fact 
that  it  is  rather  meaningless  and  empty.  Mere 
ornament,  however  delicate  and  fanciful,  hardly  serves 
as  a  satisfactory  book-plate.  It  may  be  clever  as 
a  piece  of  designing,  but  as  the  mark  of  ownership 
in  so  important  and  solid  a  thing  as  a  good  book 
it  is  not  in  keeping.  There  are  quantities  of  these 
to  be  seen  in  the  collectors'  albums,  in  which  very 
graceful  cupids  and  very  prettily  disposed  books 
are  over  and  again  the  hackneyed  features,  but  they 
do  not  make  the  sensible  and  pleasing  book-plate 
which  the  more  purposeful  designs  of  the  English 
and  American  engravers  do.     Exceptions  there  are. 


30 


Ex   Llbris 


of  course,  to  this  rule  and  among  them  is  an  exceed- 
ingly tasteful  plate  for  Madame  L.  B.,  which  shows 
this  woman  bibliophile  in  her  library  enjoying  some 
favorite  volume :  this  is  a  portrait  plate,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  satisfactory  that  I  have  ever  seen.  The 
reader  sits  near  her  well-filled  shelves,  which  are 
seen  through  the  glass  door  of  the  cabinet,  and  with 
an  air  of  unconscious  absorption  reads  from  the 
good-sized  book  held  upon  the  arm.  The  design 
is  simple  and  pleasing,  the  etching  remarkably  good, 
so  that  in  this  plate  one  feels  that  the  modern 
French  book-lover  may  find  a  model  and  an  inspir- 
ation that  may  lead  him  to  draw  designs  which  shall 
be  at  once  pretty  in  a  good  sense  while  effective  and 
adapted  to  its  purpose. 


England 

"What  projitieth  a  man  for  a  lie  his  toyle 
Under  ye  Sunne,^^  atte  Schole  or  Colledge, 

To  slave  and  burn  ye  mydnyght  oyle. 

And  cramme  hys  hede  wyth  uselesse  knoUedge! 

"Of  makynge  bokes  there ys  no  ende,''^ 
Saythe  ye  wyze  and  wittie  Soloman; 

A  truer  worde  was  never  penned 
By  hym  or  anie  other  man! 

For  knolledge  ys  butte  "Fanitie 

Of  Vanities, ^^  ye  chiefeste  ende 
Andde  buyinge  bokes  withouten  ende 

There  ys  no  greater  foUie,  man. 

Butte  yfF  thatte  bookes  ye  sure  must  have 

(Instede  off  spendynge  monie  on). 
To  save  your  sowl,  and  conscience  salve, 

r  faith  thenne  goe  and  borrowe  one! 

(Im-)Moral:  Never  buy  a  boke  iff  thatte  ye  can  cozen  one  from 
a  friend,  and  then  be  sure  to  stikke  your  boke-plate  on, —  on  top  off 
hys!  J.  V. 


Ill 

ENGLAND 

GILBERT  BURNET,  the  bold,  frank,  boast- 
ful, noisy,  and  talented  man  who  landed 
at  Torbay  with  Dutch  William    and  who 

showed  ability  yet  much  indiscretion,  and 
who  was  honest  in  spite  of  every  excuse  for  not 
being,  merciful  when  all  around  him  were  full  of 
bitterness  and  spite,  had  a  book-plate  in  the  ec- 
clesiastical style,  which  is  rare  and  valuable  to-day. 
The  plate  bears  the  following  inscription,  Gilbert 
Burnet  Lord  Bishop  of  Salisbury  Chancellor  of  the  most 
Noble  Order  of  the  Garter ;  and  behind  the  arms  are 
the  crosier  and  key  with  above  them  the  mitre  of 
his  office.  The  royal  motto  of  England,  Honi 
soit  qui  mal  y  pense^  is  given  upon  the  garter  en- 
circling the  arms.  The  date  of  this  plate  is  about 
1690. 

Robert  Harley,  Earl  of  Oxford  and  Mortimer, 
founder  of  the  Harleian  Society  and  collector  of 
that  vast  accumulation  of  literary  treasure  which 
was  purchased  by  Parliament  and  now  under  the 
name  of  the  Harleian  Collection  may  be  seen  in 
the  British  Museum,  used  a  book-plate  of  the 
highest  style  of  the  art  as  developed  in  his  day, 
in  which  his  arms  are  shown  along  with    nineteen 

D  33 


34  Ex   Libris 

other  quarterings.  The  plate  dates  somewhere 
about   1695,  ^^^  '^  "°^  readily  obtained  to-dav. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  Dean  Swift 
used  to  take  his  exercise  about  the  park  in  order 
to  reduce  his  growing  girth  there  often  accompanied 
him,  for  the  purpose  of  adding  to  his  sparseness, 
that  "thin,  hollow  looked"  man,  Matthew  Prior, 
the  wit,  politician,  and  diplomatist,  of  whom  Swift 
wrote  :  "  If  his  poetry  be  generally  considered,  his 
praise  will  be  that  of  correctness  and  industry  rather 
than  of  compass  of  comprehension,  or  activity  of 
fancy.  He  never  made  any  effort  of  invention." 
Rather  lukewarm  praise  this  for  one  who  aspired 
to  some  fame  as  a  maker  of  verse  and  who  had  a 
fine  wit  which  surely  must  have  brought  him  some 
measure  of  "invention."  Anyway,  Prior  had  a  book- 
plate in  which  he  called  down  Mars  and  Apollo  and 
an  angel  blowing  on  the  trumpet  of  fame  to  sit 
about  his  shield  of  arms,  and  this  plate  in  good 
Jacobean  style  is  one  of  considerable  rarity  and 
consequently  of  considerable  value  to  the  collector. 

John  Bagford,  it  must  be  admitted,  has  rather  an 
odious  memory  even  among  those  who  allow  the 
followers  of  Granger  some  little  claim  to  distinction 
as  lovers  and  collectors  of  literary  memorabilia. 
This  man,  who  began  life  as  an  apprentice  to  a 
shoemaker,  developed  a  desire  for  knowledge  which 
took  him  from  so  humble  a  calling  and  sent  him  off 
on  a  tour  through  Germany  and  the  Low  Countries 
in  search  of  material  for  a  book  on  printing,  which, 
however,  he  never  wrote.  The  name  "  biblioclast  " 
has  been  angrily  bestowed  upon  him,  and  there 
seems   to   have   been  good  reason   for   it ;    for   not 


England  ^^ 

less  than  twenty  thousand  volumes  passed  through 
his  hands,  from  which  he  tore  title-pages,  frontis- 
pieces, wood-cuts,  portraits,  and  ornamental  letters, 
wholly  destroying  some  volumes  and  mutilating, 
to  an  extent  which  was  actual  destruction,  a  great 
many  others.  When  one  thinks  of  the  rare  books 
that  were  thus  put  beyond  the  reach  of  the  pre- 
serving hand  of  the  collector,  of  the  bindings  which 
were  executed  for  the  great  bibliophiles  of  the  past, 
and  of  the  engravings  of  the  masters  now  wholly 
gone,  this  destruction  makes  the  blood  boil.  Among 
the  collections  of  this  book-killer  was  found  the  earli- 
est known  specimen  of  a  book-plate  used  by  an  Eng- 
lish lady.  This  is  the  plate  of  Elizabeth  Pindar, 
which  dates  about  1608.  The  motto  she  chose 
was,  Goifs  Providence  is  mine  inheritance. 

There  is  a  book-plate  bearing  the  inscription 
William  Cowper,  Clerk  of  the  Parliaments^  which  is 
sometimes  erroneously  attributed  to  the  poet,  him  of 
Olney,  the  William  of  a  greater  fame.  The  way  in 
which  the  office  of  clerk  fell  to  this  William  Cowper, 
who  was  an  uncle  of  the  poet,  is  rather  curious  and 
interesting.  When  George  I.  ascended  the  throne, 
the  office  was  held  by  a  certain  Mr.  Johnson.  One 
of  the  despicable  creatures  of  the  court  was  a  man 
named  Robethon,  who  succeeded  in  getting  the  office 
promised  to  him  in  futuro.  No  sooner  was  he  pos- 
sessed of  this  grant  in  certainty,  than  he  sold  the 
right  for  I9000  !  Upon  the  death  of  said  Johnson 
the  actual  grant  was  made  out,  and  the  name  to  be 
placed  upon  it  was  "  anybody  that  Robethon  should 
name."  The  price  named  was  paid  by  Spencer 
Cowper,  as  may  be  certified  in  the  diary  of  his  sister- 


^6  Ex  Libris 

in-law  (Lady  Mary  Cowper,  wife  of  the  Chancellor, 
and  Lady  of  the  Bedchamber  to  Princess  Caroline), 
where  the  transaction  is  entered  under  date  of  Dec. 
25,  1 7 14.  Spencer  Cowper  gave  the  post  to  his 
eldest  son,  who  held  it  until  1740,  in  which  year  he 
died.  The  book-plate  is  one  of  real  interest  in 
itself,  being  well  engraved,  and  in  the  pure  Jacobean 
style. 

All  lovers  of  books  will  recall  the  witty  lines  by 
Dr.  Trapp,  and  the  even  more  witty  rejoinder  they 
brought  forth  from  Sir  William  Browne,  the  founder 
of  the  prizes  for  odes  and  epigrams  at  Cambridge, 
upon  the  occasion  of  the  gift  in  November,  17 15, 
from  King  George  L  to  the  University  of  Cambridge, 
of  some  books,  and  the  sending  at  the  same  time  of 
a  troop  of  horse  to  Oxford.  Dr.  Trapp  wrote  as 
follows:  — 

"The  King,  observing  with  judicious  eyes 
The  state  of  both  his  universities, 
To  one  he  sent  a  regiment:   for  why? 
That  learned  body  wanted  loyalty. 
To  th'  other  he  sent  books,  as  well  discerning 
How  much  that  loyal  body  wanted  learning." 

To  which  Sir  William  made  answer:  — 

"The  King  to  Oxford  sent  his  troop  of  horse, 
For  Tories  own  no  argument  but  force; 
With  equal  care  to  Cambridge  books  he  sent, 
For  Whigs  allow  no  force  but  argument." 

This  gift  of  books  was  the  greatest  benediction 
the  library  of  Cambridge  ever  received,  and  it  con- 
sisted of  28,965  volumes  of  printed  books  and  1790 


England  37 

manuscripts.  This  liberal  gift  cost  the  royal  treasury 
the  pretty  sum  of  ;^6ooo,  the  price  paid  to  the  heirs 
of  John  Moore,  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  Ely,  to 
whom  the  library  had  belonged.  This  munificent 
act  was  suggested  to  the  king  by  his  Secretary  of 
State,  Townshend,  in  acknowledgment  of  the  loy- 
alty of  the  university  which,  through  its  senate,  had 
voted  an  address  in  which  expressions  of  its  attach- 
ment to  the  person  and  government  of  the  king 
were  introduced.  Beyond  question  this  trifling  act 
pleased  the  monarch,  who  knew  of  the  Jacobite  ten- 
dency manifested  at  Oxford.  Some  nineteen  years 
after  the  books  were  received,  they  were  given  suita- 
ble housing  in  rooms  especially  prepared  for  them. 
The  fact  which  makes  this  bit  of  history  worthy  of 
mention  in  the  present  connection  is  that,  at  this 
time,  the  celebrated  engraver,  John  Pine,  made  a 
book-plate  for  these  books  which  was  intended  to 
commemorate  the  gracious  generosity  of  the  royal 
giver.  This  plate  is  very  handsome  in  appearance 
and  bold  in  execution.  There  were  four  sizes  en- 
graved to  fit  the  folios,  quartos,  octavos,  and  books 
of  lesser  size.  In  all  28,200  copies  were  printed,  as 
appears  from  the  receipted  bill  dated  July  8,  1737. 
The  three  larger  plates  are  alike  in  design,  and  may 
be  described  as  follows:  upon  an  architectural  base 
upon  the  front  of  which  is  a  medallion  of  King 
George,  rises  a  pyramid,  whose  fore-front  is  nearly 
concealed  by  a  large  oval  shield  which  gives  the  arms 
of  the  university;  upon  the  right  sits  Minerva,  and 
upon  the  left  stands  Apollo.  Piles  of  books  lie 
about,  and  the  ornamental  touches  of  the  period  are 
used  to  good  advantage.     There  is  extant  a  letter 


38  Ex  Libris 

from  Pine  in  which  he  discusses  some  proposed 
alterations  in  the  plate,  and  offers  to  make  the  pro- 
file of  the  king  "more  like."  In  the  smaller-sized 
plate  many  of  the  features  of  these  larger  ones  are 
omitted,  notably  the  figures  of  Apollo  and  Minerva, 
the  sun,  clouds,  and  pyramid. 

Lady  Betty  Germain,  friend  of  Sarah,  Duchess 
of  Marlborough,  used  a  dainty  book-plate  made 
after  the  death  of  her  husband  in  17 18.  The  Ger- 
main arms  appear  in  the  proper  lozenge  impaling 
those  of  Berkeley,  and  surrounding  the  shield  is  the 
widow's  knot,  the  whole  upon  a  hatched  back- 
ground whose  blackness  throws  the  graceful  design 
into  effective  prominence. 

One  of  the  very  early  families  of  England  went  by 
the  musty  name  of  Fust,  and  various  of  its  mem- 
bers have  crept  into  history  at  one  time  or  another, 
having  been  in  the  train  of  some  valiant  prince, 
expatiated  some  horrible  crime  at  the  stake,  or  at- 
tained to  rank  and  fortune.  There  is  a  book-plate 
used  by  a  certain  member  of  this  family  going  by 
the  name  of  Sir  Francis  Fust  of  Hill  Court  in  the 
County  of  Gloucester^  Baronet^  which  is  of  note  on 
account  of  the  immense  number  of  armorial  bear- 
ings it  shows.  No  less  than  forty  coats  are  bla- 
zoned upon  this  plate.  There  is  one  large  shield 
which  is  divided  down  the  centre,  and  upon  the 
dexter  side  are  shown  the  marriages  in  the  male 
line  and  on  the  sinister  the  marriages  in  the  female 
line.  So  says  the  inscription  itself.  The  date  of 
this  remarkable  plate  is  about  1730. 

A  very  interesting  plate,  both  on  account  of  its 
appearance  and  the  memories  it  stirs,  is  that  of  -the 


England  39 

Rt.  Honble.  Henrietta  Louisa  Jeffreys  Countess  of 
Pomfret,  Lady  of  the  Bed-chamber  to  ^een  Caroline. 
This  is  the  inscription  as  it  reads  upon  the  largest 
and  most  interesting  of  her  three  notable  plates. 
This  lady  was  the  granddaughter  and  heiress 
of  that  "  monster  in  ermine,"  Lord  George  Jef- 
freys, Baron  of  Wem,  the  infamous  minion  of 
James  II.  As  this  large  and  rare  plate  falls  under 
the  eye  of  the  collector,  he  cannot  but  remember  the 
atrocious  deeds  committed  by  Jeffreys,  his  inhuman- 
ity and  his  terrible  cruelty  in  the  high  position  in 
which  he  was  allowed  to  display  these  traits  of  his 
character.  His  son  succeeded  to  the  title  of  Baron 
Wem  and  was  the  last  to  hold  it,  a  title  bestowed 
by  a  despicable  specimen  of  royalty  for  a  despicable 
ingenuity  in  the  trials  of  the  adherents  of  Mon- 
mouth. His  daughter  married  Thomas,  first  Earl 
of  Pomfret,  and  was  made  Lady  of  the  Bedcham- 
ber, as  the  plate  indicates.  This  office  she  was  re- 
leased from  upon  the  death  of  the  Queen  in  1737, 
and  the  plate  was  probably  made  within  three  or 
four  years  of  that  date.  The  motto  on  the  book- 
plate is  in  Welsh  and  reads,  Pob  dawne  O  dduw. 
The  armorial  bearings  shown  are  Fermor  and  Jef- 
freys with  supporters  and  coronet :  at  either  side  the 
Fermor  and  Jeffreys  crests  are  seen,  and  a  distant 
view  of  the  open  field  appears  at  one  end.  This 
plate,  which  is  signed  S.  W.,  is  of  a  very  unusual 
shape,  being  long  and  narrow  and  quite  large,  not 
at  all  of  the  dimension  or  form  one  would  pick  out 
for  the  use  of  a  lady. 

There    is    a    very  bold    bit    of  engraving  which 
seems  to  represent  huge  tomes  lying  upon  a  table 


40  Ex  Libris 

near  the  grating  of  an  unglassed  window,  which  was 
used  by  the  Earl  of  Aylesford  as  a  book-plate. 
The  plate  has  this  peculiarity  that  while  very  strong 
and  massive  in  appearance,  the  exact  meaning  of  the 
design  cannot  be  understood.  Another  interesting 
point  which  this  plate  presents  for  solution  relates 
to  the  person  who  engraved  it.  The  work  very 
strongly  suggests  the  touch  of  Giovanni  Battista 
Piranesi,  and  if  one  did  not  know  that  the  Earl  had 
been  a  student  of  the  art  of  engraving  under  this 
very  master  and  prided  himself  in  no  small  measure 
upon  the  ability  he  possessed,  it  would  be  at  once 
assigned  to  the  graver  of  Piranesi,  But  as  the  Earl 
may  very  possibly  have  executed  the  plate  himself, 
the  question  is  one  not  to  be  decided  until  further 
proof  is  adduced  for  one  side  or  the  other. 

William  Wilberforce,  the  abolitionist,  used  a  book- 
plate of  no  very  handsome  design  and  which  is 
thought  to  have  been  drawn  originally  for  his 
grandfather,  of  the  same  name.  However,  as  it  was 
used  by  the  great  philanthropist  and  statesman,  it 
may  well  be  included  here  as  having  much  interest 
attaching  to  it ;  for  the  bravery  and  eloquence  of  his 
speeches  and  the  finally  triumphant  persistence  with 
which  he  urged  his  abolition  measures  before  the 
House  of  Commons  made  him  of  world-wide  repu- 
tation. The  plate  shows  the  arms  without  motto 
enclosed  in  a  neat  frame  in  the  rococo  style. 
There  are  three  varieties  of  this  plate,  which  are  so 
nearly  alike  as  to  make  it  quite  likely  that  their  dif- 
ferences will  be  overlooked  without  close  examina- 
tion. It  is  conjectured  that  the  plate  was  used  first 
by   the  original  William  Wilberforce,  then    by  his 


England  41 

son  of  the  same  name,  an  uncle  of  the  following, 
and  finally  by  the  owner  who  achieved  greatest 
distinction. 

Thomas  Bewick  engraved  many  book-plates,  and 
his  style  is  so  well  known  as  to  require  no  descrip- 
tion. The  charming  little  bits  of  landscape  and 
water-side  are  found  in  profusion  throughout  the 
books  he  illustrated,  as  well  as  on  many  book-plates. 
Among  these  dainty  bits  there  is  one  which  bears 
under  the  picture  the  name  Joseph  Pollard.  This 
plate  is  illustrated  here  with  a  print  from  the  very 
copper  upon  which  Bewick  traced  the  design.  This 
represents  a  view  of  Newcastle,  to  which  town  Bewick 
belonged,  and  whose  natural  beauties  and  the  ruins 
in  the  neighborhood  of  which,  furnished  the  great 
engraver  with  not  a  few  motives  and  ideas.  This 
print  shows  the  sky  line  of  the  town  from  up  the 
Tyne,  with  the  towers  of  St.  Nicholas  and  the  Old 
Castle  showing  faintly.  It  is  of  interest  to  record 
that  this  plate  was  in  all  likelihood  a  gift  from 
Bewick  to  his  friend  Pollard,  between  whom  there 
were  strong  bonds  of  affection.  The  Pollard  family 
is  perhaps  even  older  to  Newcastle  and  the  Tyneside 
than  the  Bewick,  and  Mr.  Percival  Pollard  of  New 
York,  who  furnished  these  data,  tells  me  that  the 
original  owner  of  the  plate  was  his  great-grandfather. 

Mark  Lambert  was  a  pupil,  indeed  an  apprentice, 
of  Bewick's,  and  many  of  his  book-plates  have  been 
erroneously  attributed  to  his  master,  so  closely  do 
they  follow  the  style  and  manner  of  the  great  wood- 
engraver.  Indeed  In  even  so  authentic  a  work  as 
Hugo's  Catalogue  of  Bewick's  Works^  some  few 
things  by  Lambert  are  unconsciously  Included,  and 


42  Ex   Libris 

it  is  curious  to  learn  that  the  plate  of  Buddie 
Atkinson,  which  was  at  first  accredited  to  Bewick, 
and  then  to  Lambert,  now  turns  out  to  be  the 
design  and  the  engraving  of  Mr.  George  F.  Robin- 
son, who  was  with  the  firm  of  M.  and  M.  W. 
Lambert  for  a  long  time,  and  who  is  now  living  at 
Gosforth,  not  far  from  Newcastle.  The  collector 
who  can  number  a  dozen  plates  by  Lambert  can 
feel  assured  that  he  has  well  over  half  the  total  num- 
ber of  plates  which  Lambert  ever  made. 

Bartolozzi  is  known  to  have  engraved  a  few  book- 
plates, and  among  the  most  pleasing  of  them  is  the 
one  for  Lady  Bessborough.  In  this  the  interior  of 
what  seems  a  Roman  villa  is  pictured,  the  female 
figure  seated  in  the  chair  in  the  foreground  being 
probably  intended  to  represent  Venus,  who  holds  in 
one  hand  a  flaming  human  heart  and  in  the  other 
the  dove  of  purity.  Two  cupids  hover  near,  bearing 
in  their  hands  a  floating  scarf,  upon  which  the  name 
of  the  owner,  H.  F.  Bessborough^  is  seen.  The 
workmanship  here  is  of  the  finest  order,  the  draw- 
ing is  faultless,  the  engraving  most  beautiful.  The 
plate  bears  the  signature  of  Cipriani  as  its  designer 
and  that  of  F.  Bartolozzi  as  its  engraver,  and  it  is 
dated  1796.  It  may  be  that  the  distinguished  lady 
who  used  this  beautiful  plate  in  her  books  also  made 
use  of  it  as  a  visiting-card,  for  which  purpose  it  was 
quite  in  keeping  with  the  fashions  of  the  day.  This 
is  a  plate  not  often  met  with  in  the  collector's 
albums,  and  one  that  is  highly  prized  by  those  who 
have  it. 

To  William  Blake,  student  of  engraving  under 
Basire,  and  honored  with  the  friendship   and    pat- 


England  43 

ronage  of  Flaxman,  is  attributed  a  small  and  most 
delicately  engraved  book-plate  for  one  Charles  Con- 
way. This  is  decidedly  monumental  in  character, 
with  its  figures  of  an  old  man  with  a  flowing  beard, 
and  the  students  upon  either  side  in  affectionate  atti- 
tude, all  resting  upon  a  stone  sepulchre  of  oblong 
form  and  simple  design.  On  the  very  bottom  of 
the  pedestal  is  carved  the  motto.  Liberty  of  Opinion. 

There  is  a  very  rare  and  particularly  interesting 
plate  once  gracing  the  books  of  Robert  Dinwiddle, 
sometime  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  colony  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  is  a  very  fine  bit  of  engraving  and  is  of 
especial  interest  to  American  collectors  on  account 
of  his  connection  with  the  early  history  of  this 
country.  The  Chippendale  style  in  its  most  ornate 
period  is  employed  here,  and  the  frame  has  two 
cartouches,  one  holding  the  arms  and  the  other  the 
name  in  ornamental  script.  The  arms  are  peculiar; 
they  represent,  in  the  upper  half  of  the  shield,  an 
Indian  archer  shooting  his  arrow  at  a  deer,  and  in 
the  lower,  a  single-masted,  port-holed  vessel  making 
for  a  formidable  fort  which  floats  the  English  flag. 
The  motto  is,  Ubi  liber tas  ibi  patria^  and  is  the  one 
used  by  the  Baillie,  Hugar,  Beverly,  Darch,  and 
Garrett  families,  as  well  as  the  Dinwiddies.  It  is 
also  the  motto  which  Edmund  Ludlow  placed  over 
his  hut  in  Switzerland.  Ludlow  was  obliged  to  flee 
England  at  the  Restoration,  but  he  was  one  of  the 
men  of  whom  Macaulay  wrote  in  high  terms  of 
praise,  calling  him,  indeed,  "  the  most  illustrious 
survivor  of  a  mighty  race  of  men,  the  judges  of  a 
King,  the  founders  of  a  republic." 

The  Dinwiddle  folk  are  of  ancient  Scotch  extrac- 


44  Ex   Libris 

tion,  and  on  the  Ragman's  Roll,  which  Sir  Walter 
Scott  describes  as  the  list  of  barons  and  men  of 
note  who  subscribed  submission  to  Edward  I.  in 
1296,  when  that  sovereign  invaded  Scotland  and 
despoiled  it  of  historical  records  and  of  the  sacred 
coronation  stone,  which  last  is  still  preserved  in 
London,  appears  the  name  of  AUeyn  Dinwithie, 
who  is  considered  to  be  the  progenitor  of  the  family. 
There  were  some  daring  and  bloody  deeds  in  the 
days  back  of  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia  and 
his  immediate  family,  when  peaceable  and  prosperous 
merchants  living  in  Glasgow  took  no  little  pride  in 
the  records  of  their  ancestors,  Robert  was  born  in 
1693  at  Germiston,  a  seat  his  father  owned,  and  was 
brought  up  in  the  counting-room  and  was  in  all 
likelihood  a  merchant  as  were  his  forbears.  For 
some  eleven  years  after  1727  he  held  the  office  of 
Collector  of  Customs  in  Bermuda  and  was  given  his 
appointment  as  Surveyor-General  of  Customs  of 
the  southern  ports  of  the  Continent  of  America  in 
acknowledgment  of  his  ability  and  zeal.  Defalca- 
tions were  not  unknown  in  those  days,  and  it  needed 
such  a  man  as  Robert  Dinwiddie  to  discover  the 
purloiners  of  the  government  moneys  and  to  set 
matters  upon  a  proper  basis.  After  this  he  seems 
to  have  had  a  residence  in  London  and  came  out  to 
Virginia  in  1751  with  his  wife  and  two  daughters, 
Elizabeth  and  Rebecca.  He  set  sail  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  month  of  July  and  landed  just  four 
months  afterward  to  the  very  day.  It  was  under 
Dinwiddie's  administration  that  the  attempt  was 
made  to  expel  the  French  from  the  Ohio  and  Fort 
Duquesne,  in  which   campaign  George  Washington 


England  45 

distinguished  himself  and  Braddock  fell.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  it  was  Governor  Dinwiddle  who 
recognized  the  worth  of  Washington  and  who  sent 
him  on  the  commission  to  the  French  settlement 
upon  the  Ohio.  However,  things  were  not  all 
smooth  sailing  for  Dinwiddle,  and  when  at  last  he 
left  this  country,  he  was  not  in  the  best  of  favor 
with  the  colonists.  He  had  recommended  the  taxa- 
tion of  the  colonies,  and  was  charged  with  having 
converted  to  his  own  use  something  like  $100,000, 
which  should  have  been  distributed  to  the  Virgin- 
ians as  compensation  for  their  over-contribution  to 
the  public  service.  When  he  embarked  he  declared 
himself  "  worn  out  with  vexation  and  age."  His 
book-plate,  which  was  without  doubt  engraved  in 
England,  bears  witness  to  his  American  residence  in 
unmistakable  manner. 

Perhaps  no  family  has  borne  a  more  famous  name 
for  so  many  years  in  the  "  north  countree "  than 
have  the  Delavals,  and  of  this  interesting  family, 
among  whom  were  numbered  a  cousin  of  William 
the  Conqueror,  knights  who  fought  for  the  Holy 
Sepulchre,  a  baron  who  was  among  those  forcing 
from  King  John  the  great  foundation  of  English 
national  liberty,  patrons  of  literature  and  of  art, 
heroes  on  the  seas  and  in  the  battles  of  the  land, 
statesmen  and  companions  of  royalty,  hardly  any 
equalled  Sir  Francis  Drake  Delaval  in  natural  abil- 
ity and  in  those  winning  graces  which  make  friends 
and  attract  wide  notice.  Sir  Francis  was  a  states- 
man of  no  mean  order,  and  it  is  related  of  him  that 
upon  one  occasion  his  claims  to  election  were  em- 
phasized by  the  procuring  of  a  cannon  from  which 


46  Ex   Libris 

five  hundred  guineas  were  discharged  among  the 
electors  of  the  particular  town  he  wished  to  carry  ! 
This  method  proved  exceedingly  satisfactory,  as  Sir 
Francis  was  returned  at  the  head  of  the  poll.  Val- 
iant in  war,  he  swam  half  a  mile  to  be  the  first  to 
land  on  French  soil  when  the  expedition  was  sent 
to  make  a  descent  upon  St.  Cass,  and  for  his  bravery 
he  was  made  by  George  III.  a  Knight  of  the 
Bath.  Among  other  amusing  anecdotes  of  this 
brilliant  man  is  that  upon  one  occasion  he  hired 
Drury  Lane  Theatre  and  gave  a  performance  of 
Othello,  with  himself  and  other  members  of  his 
family  in  the  principal  roles.  Even  the  House  of 
Commons  adjourned  some  two  hours  earlier  than 
usual  to  be  present,  and  no  less  a  critic  than  Garrick 
praised  the  acting.  When  he  settled  down  in  1750 
in  his  beautiful  seat  in  Northumberland  with  his 
bride,  the  relict  of  Lord  Nassau  Paulet,  his  hall  and 
parks  are  said  to  have  resembled  fairy-land,  and 
every  sort  of  gaiety  and  splendor  was  indulged  while 
the  charities  of  the  neighborhood  suffered  no  lack. 
Sir  Francis  used  a  book-plate  which  is  now  rare, 
and  interesting  because  of  his  remarkable  history. 
The  plate  is  of  the  Chippendale  style,  showing  the 
arms  of  Sir  Francis  and  those  of  his  wife  in  separate 
shields.  In  his  own  shield  the  arms  of  Delaval  and 
Blake  are  quartered,  and  in  his  wife's  those  of  Paulet 
and  Thanet  are  impaled.  The  plate  is  very  ornate, 
and  under  the  two  shields  the  mottoes  of  the  fami- 
lies appear,  Dieu  me  conduise,  "  God  guide  me,"  for 
the  Delaval,  and  Aymez  loyaulte^  "  Love  loyalty," 
for  the  Paulet.  There  is  a  bit  of  interesting  history 
connected  with  this  motto  which  adds  to  the  interest 


England  47 

of  the  plate.  John  Pauletus,  the  Marquis  of  Win- 
chester, garrisoned  his  house  during  the  civil  wars 
in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  and  held  it  against  the 
Parliamentary  forces  for  nigh  two  years.  In  honor 
of  the  principles  which  actuated  him  in  this  enter- 
prise the  Marquis  called  his  house  "Aymez  Loy- 
aulte,"  and  he  caused  these  words  to  be  written  with 
a  diamond  upon  every  glass  window  in  the  house  ! 
Ever  since  this  show  of  loyalty  and  pugnacity  these 
words  have  been  used  by  the  descendants  of  the 
house  as  their   motto. 

Sir  John  Hussey  Delaval,  Bart.,  known  as  Lord 
Delaval,  was  the  second  son  of  Sir  Francis,  and  was 
in  his  way  quite  as  remarkable  a  man  as  was  his 
father.  An  apt  business  man  and  a  lover  of 
architecture,  he  did  much  to  beautify  the  old  estates 
and  the  ample  additions  he  made  to  them.  By 
the  publication  of  the  Delaval  Papers  the  con- 
spicuous position  taken  by  this  gentleman  as  a 
patron  of  the  arts  is  made  noticeable,  and  one  reads 
with  interest  of  his  favors  to  the  needy  poet  of 
Grub  Street,  to  the  penniless  opera  singer,  and  the 
broken-down  member  of  the  dramatic  profession. 
Legends  of  his  open-handed  generosity  and  benevo- 
lence are  still  related  upon  the  old  northern  estates. 
By  the  marriage  of  his  favorite  daughter  to  the 
second  Earl  of  Tyrconnel,  the  historic  Ford  Castle 
and  estate,  including  the  field  of  Flodden,  event- 
ually came  into  the  possession  of  the  Beresford 
family ;  for  the  daughter  and  only  child  of  the 
Countess  of  Tyrconnel  married  the  second  Marquis 
of  Waterford.  Sir  John  Delaval,  after  seeing  his 
daughters  married  to  high  positions,  received  a  great 


48  Ex  Libris 

blow  in  the  death  of  his  only  son  a  few  months  be- 
fore coming  of  age,  and  by  this  sad  event  he  was 
the  last  of  his  family  to  wear  the  robes  of  a  peer. 
His  book-plate,  around  which  so  many  interesting 
memories  cluster,  is  a  brilliant  specimen  of  the 
Jacobean  style. 

Laurence  Sterne,  to  whom  the  title  of  Reverend 
is  properly,  yet  withal  it  seems  improperly  prefixed, 
was  in  all  probability  the  designer  of  the  book-plate 
he  used  in  his  own  collection  of  books.  The  centre 
of  the  design  is  filled  with  a  stone  slab,  upon  which 
the  bust  of  Juvenal,  perhaps,  is  placed.  Closed 
books  lie  at  either  side,  upon  one  of  which  is  the 
title  Tristram  Shandy,  and  upon  the  other  Alas,  poor 
Torick  !  At  the  bottom  the  name  Laurence  Sterne 
is  written  in  a  flowing  hand.  Sterne  added  the 
talents  of  an  artist  and  a  musician  of  the  ordinary 
level  to  his  accomplishments  as  a  lover  of  literature 
and  a  writer  of  books,  and  this  design  is  not  prob- 
ably beyond  his  powers  or  above  his  imagination. 
He  wrote  a  letter  towards  the  end  of  July,  1761, 
to  John  Hall  Stevenson,  the  satiric  poet  who  figures 
in  Tristram  Shandy  as  "  Eugenius,"  in  which  he 
tells  him, 

"  I  have  bought  seven  hundred  books  at  a  purchase,  dog 
cheap,  —  and  many  good,  —  and  I  have  been  a  week  get- 
ting them  set  up  in  my  best  room  here." 

Quite  possibly  this  purchase  inspired  the  book- 
plate, which  bears  not  a  little  resemblance  to  that 
of  his  dear  friend,  David  Garrick,  upon  whose 
library  as  well  as  that  of  "  Eugenius,"  on  whose 
shelves  there  seem  to  have  been  collected  some  store 


England  49 


of  "facetiae,"  Sterne  depended  a  good  deal  for  his 
reading,  particularly  perhaps  before  the  purchase 
recorded  in  the  letter. 

The  book-plate  of  David  Garrick  is  of  pleasing 
design.  The  name  is  engraved  upon  a  graceful 
cartouche  around  which  are  disposed  such  emblems 
as  indicate  the  tastes  of  Garrick.  There  is  the 
mask  of  comedy,  the  bauble  of  the  fool,  the  lyre  of 
poetry,  and  such  "properties"  of  the  stage  as  the 
goblet,  crown,  sceptre,  and  sword.  The  bust  of 
Shakespeare  crowns  the  whole  design  and  below 
runs  the  motto, — 

La  premiere  chose  qu'on  doit  faire  quand  on  a  emprunete'  un 
Livre  c'est  de  le  lire  afin  de  pouvoir  le  rendre  plutot.  {^Men- 
agiana^  Vol.  IV.^ 

Garrick's  library  contained  many  rich  and  price- 
less Shakespearian  quartos,  which  this  plate  was  well 
fitted  to  adorn.  No  wonder  that  "  the  great  Cham 
of  literature,"  as  Warren  dubs  Dr.  Johnson,  was  not 
allowed  to  make  use  of  Garrick's  volumes,  although 
the  refusal  made  cause  of  troublesome  complaint. 

There  is  a  very  handsome  book-plate  of  which 
but  few  copies  are  known  and  which  bears  the  name 
Capt.  Cook.  The  design  exhibits  a  shield  upon 
which  the  globe  is  seen  showing  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
and  round  the  shield  flags  and  guns  are  disposed  in 
graceful  arrangement.  This  at  a  glance  one  would 
take  for  the  plate  of  that  famous  Captain  Cook 
whose  surname  was  James  and  among  whose 
famous  exploits  was  the  discovery  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  upon  the  shores  of  which  he  lost  his  life 
at  the  hands  of  the  natives.      But  the  great  circum- 


5©  Ex  Libris 

navigator  probably  was  not  the  owner  of  this  plate, 
which  was  in  all  probability  made  for  his  son,  who 
was  not  really  a  captain,  but  whose  title  was  prop- 
erly Commander. 

William  Hogarth  was  apprenticed  by  his  own 
preference  to  a  silversmith,  and  there  studied  the 
arts  of  designing  and  engraving  to  good  purpose. 
In  addition  to  the  book-plate  made  for  himself, 
there  are  three  others  which  are  supposed  to  have 
been  from  his  graver.  These  are  for  Ellis  Gamble, 
his  master,  John  Holland,  the  heraldic  artist,  and 
George  Lambart,  the  scene-painter.  These  must 
be  accounted  early  endeavors  of  the  future  expert 
and  they  display  little  of  the  ingenuity  his  celebrated 
pictures  are  so  famous  for.  Heraldic  in  treatment, 
they  introduce  a  few  allegorical  features,  the  plate 
of  Holland  being  especially  favored  in  this  way. 
Here  Minerva  is  seated  evidently  in  the  studio  of 
the  artist  and  about  her  are  four  cupids  who  disport 
themselves  upon  the  floor  with  books  and  the  shield 
and  crest  of  arms  for  toys. 

John  Wilkes,  of  fascinating  manners  and  dissolute 
conduct,  founder  of  the  North  Briton^  the  thorn  in 
the  flesh  of  the  Bute  administration,  the  clever, 
courageous,  unscrupulous  scamp  whose  conversa- 
tion could  charm  all  and  whose  repartee  was  full  of 
delicious  wit,  scholar  and  orator,  had  three  book- 
plates to  denote  his  ownership  of  a  library  in  which 
one  fancies  must  have  been  some  of  the  works  of 
the  old  wits  and  the  poetry  and  novels  of  his  time. 
Hogarth  drew  his  picture,  a  picture  of  Jack  Wilkes 
sitting  in  jaunty  posture  and  leering  beneath  his 
liberty  cap,  which  will  never  fade  from  the  memory. 


England  51 

The  book-plates  date  between  the  years  1755  and 
1770,  and  they  all  show  the  arms  with  accessories 
corresponding  to  the  style  of  the  period  in  which 
the  plates  were  engraved. 

Horace  Walpole,  eminently  fitted  to  be  remem- 
bered by  the  book-lover  as  the  writer  of  many 
charming  epistles,  as  the  owner  of  a  private  press 
from  which  charming  books  were  issued,  and  as  a 
collector,  indiscriminate  yet  by  no  means  objectless, 
used  one  or  two  book-plates  which  are  considered 
an  important  addition  to  the  book-plate  collector's 
album.  The  first  of  these  is  an  armorial  arrange- 
ment with  the  words  Mr.  Horatio  Walpole  upon 
a  festoon  at  the  bottom.  The  design  is  very 
simple,  and  one  wonders  at  it  somewhat  when  he 
considers  the  lurid  style  of  architectural  ornament 
with  which  Strawberrv  Hill  was  embellished  and 
which  brought  its  builder  such  generous  measure  of 
ridicule  and  criticism.  But  the  glory  of  the  col- 
lector is  that  while  the  world  outside  may  fail  to 
understand  the  purposes  or  the  delights  of  his  ways, 
he  himself  is  gathering  about  him  for  his  own 
delectation  and  that  of  the  few  choice  spirits  able  to 
appreciate  them  with  him  those  bits  which  event- 
ually prove  even  to  the  sceptical  world  to  have  had 
a  value  beyond  their  conception.  I  presume  that 
if  the  various  collections  contained  in  Strawberry 
Hill  and  which  were  sold  in  the  months  of  April 
and  May,  1 842,  were  to  be  sold  to-day  they  would 
bring  well  toward  $750,000.  The  sale  was  not  well 
conducted;  George  Robins,  the  well-known  auction- 
eer, managed  it,  and  his  catalogue  of  the  library 
is  a  lamentable   piece  of  work.     This  rare   collec- 


52  Ex   Libris 

tion  of  books,  manuscripts,  engraved  portraits,  etc., 
brought  about  $40,000,  and  the  miniatures  (which 
were  extremely  good),  the  pictures,  coins,  drawings, 
porcelains,  stained  glass,  armor,  furniture,  plate, 
etc.,  were  sold  for  something  like  $166,000.  Wal- 
pole  lived  fifty  years  in  his  villa  at  Twickenham, 
enjoying  his  collections,  his  roses  and  lilacs,  his 
nightingales,  and,  of  course,  his  friends.  We  may 
believe  with  certainty  that  these  book-plates  were 
used  in  the  books  gathered  there.  Towards  the 
end  of  his  life  he  succeeded  his  nephew  George  as 
Earl  of  Orford,  and  he  had  a  new  book-plate  to 
commemorate  the  fact.  This  is  a  circular  design, 
with  the  arms  in  the  centre  and  the  words  StziUum 
H  or  at  a  Cojnitis  de  Orford  around  the  edge.  There 
has  been  some  idea  that  he  may  have  used  the 
delightful  vignette  of  Strawberry  Hill  as  a  book- 
plate, but  recent  investigation  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  was  never  so  used.  The  picture 
of  the  life  which  Walpole  enjoyed,  as  so  delight- 
fully set  forth  by  Austin  Dobson,  comes  anew  to 
the  mind  as  one  turns  in  the  hand  these  old 
marks  of  book-ownership  used  by  this  famous 
dilettante. 

One  cannot  help  wishing  that  Walpole  had  con- 
tinued that  parody  on  the  Letters  of  Lord  Chester- 
field to  his  son,  which  he  commenced  under  the 
title  of  the  New  Whole  Duty  of  Woman,  and  which 
was  intended  to  be  a  series  of  letters  from  a  mother 
to  a  daughter.  This  vivacious  and  witty  gentleman, 
whose  personal  appearance  in  no  wise  fitted  his  in- 
tellectual gifts,  is  described  by  Lord  Hervey  as 
being, 


;i3jintrrii3pmmri^ 


England  ^j 

"as  disagreeable  as  it  was  possible  for  a  human  figure 
to  be  without  being  deformed.  He  was  very  short,  dis- 
proportioned,  thick,  and  clumsily  made ;  had  a  broad, 
rough-featured,  ugly  face,  with  black  teeth,  and  a  head  big 
enough  for  a  Polyphemus.  One  Ben  Ashurst,  who  said  a 
few  good  things,  though  admired  for  many,  told  Lord 
Chesterfield,  once,  that  he  was  like  a  stunted  giant,  —  which 
was  a  humorous  idea  and  really  apposite." 

This  strong  picture  is  one  not  easily  forgotten, 
although  one  hardly  likes  to  have  it  in  mind  when 
reading  those  choice  epistles  in  which  the  manners 
of  the  times  were  reflected  for  the  improvement  of 
that  son,  who  died  before  reaching  the  position  he 
was  intended  to  fill,  leaving  his  father  a  disappointed 
and  broken-down  man.  The  book-plate  of  Philip 
Dormer  Stanhope,  Earl  of  Chesterfield,  shows  the 
arms,  the  Earl's  coronet,  the  ermine  mantle,  the 
royal  motto  on  the  encircling  garter,  but  no  name. 

Perhaps  the  most  beautiful  ladies'  plate  known  to 
the  collector,  is  the  one  designed  by  Miss  Agnes 
Berry  for  Mrs.  Anna  Damer,  and  which  was  en- 
graved by  Francis  Legat.  In  this  the  designer  has 
drawn  a  scene  which  is  most  perfectly  adapted  to 
the  charming  and  gifted  person  who  was  to  use  it. 
The  scene  is  out  of  doors.  Before  a  stone  pedestal 
of  imposing  proportions,  upon  the  top  of  which  in 
beautiful  carving  stands  out  the  shield  of  arms  in 
a  curved  lozenge  of  delightful  form,  having  two 
hounds  as  supporters,  kneels  a  female  figure  clad  in 
classic  robes,  who  with  one  hand  resting  upon  the 
coping,  with  the  other  points  to  the  emblems  of  the 
sculptor's  trade,  which  are  carved  upon  the  base  and 
are  surrounded  with  the  wreath  of  the  victor.     The 


54  Ex   Libris 

distant  view  is  of  the  mountains  in  dim  outline, 
while  near  at  hand  are  the  protecting  trees.  This 
plate  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  known  to  the  col- 
lector, and  one  of  exceeding  interest  from  its  asso- 
ciation with  the  lives  of  delightful  and  gifted  ladies, 
brilliant  and  worthy  men.  It  is  related  that  Anna 
Conway,  not  then  Mrs.  Damer,  walking  one  day 
with  David  Hume  about  the  streets  of  London  and 
meeting  a  vendor  who  bore  upon  his  head  a  board 
containing  plaster  dogs  and  shepherdesses  and  the 
like  images,  some  remark  made  by  the  light-hearted 
young  lady  caused  the  historian  to  say,  "  Be  less 
severe.  Miss  Conway.  Those  images  at  which  you 
smile  were  not  made  without  the  aid  of  both  science 
and  genius.  With  all  your  attainments  now,  you 
cannot  produce  such  works."  Hume  was  a  bit 
heavy  in  conversation,  and  the  seriousness  with 
which  these  words  were  delivered  led  Miss  Conway 
to  determine  to  show  Hume  that,  if  she  chose,  she 
could  make  images  equal  to  those  of  the  vendor's 
collection. 

Thus,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  she  received  from  a 
playful  remark  her  first  incentive  to  take  up  that 
serious  study  of  art  in  which  she  attained  such  emi- 
nence. Her  portrait  by  Cosway,  which  hung  at 
Strawberry  Hill,  shows  her  to  have  been  of  a  beau- 
tiful and  refined  appearance,  with  something  of  genius 
in  the  pretty  oval  face  and  the  look  of  mastery  in  the 
very  hands  which  grasp  the  chisel  and  mallet  as  she 
leans  upon  the  pedestal  of  a  completed  bust.  Gay 
and  witty  in  society,  she  yet  had  opinions  of  her  own 
which  she  held  with  good  reason  and  would  not  lose. 
She  was  especially  well  read,  and  in   all  ways  was 


England  ^^ 

fitted  to  adorn  any  circle  of  society  in  which  the 
wits  and  queens  made  merry  sport  or  discussed,  in 
heavier  moments,  questions  of  import  and  weight. 
However,  the  remark  of  Hume,  which  led  her  to 
retire  by  herself  and  practise  with  wax  and  clay,  was 
the  means  of  deciding  her  to  devote  herself  with 
assiduity  to  what  was  now  a  chosen  profession. 
Her  first  production  Hume  laughed  at,  and  told 
her  that  to  model  in  yielding  substances  was  a  very 
different  thing  from  chiselling  in  marble.  After  an 
argument  with  her  obstinate  critic,  she  decided  to 
attempt  some  work  in  marble,  and,  procuring  tools 
and  the  stone,  she  set  to  work  privately  upon  her 
task.  Having  ample  means  at  her  command,  she 
was  able  to  have  the  best  of  instruction,  and  very 
soon  she  became  the  pupil  of  Ceracchi  and  Bacon, 
the  former  being  her  instructor  in  modelling,  and 
the  latter  in  the  use  of  the  chisel.  Ceracchi  lost  his 
life  for  plotting  against  Napoleon,  and  Bacon  made 
a  justly  celebrated  monument  to  Lord  Chatham, 
which  is  in  Westminster  Abbey.  Cruikshank,  too, 
was  one  of  her  teachers,  and  from  him  she  learned 
enough  of  anatomy  to  draw  figures  with  accuracy. 
Married  at  nineteen  to  George  Damer,  a  young  and 
foolish  spendthrift,  whose  chief  pleasure  lay  in  ap- 
pearing in  three  new  suits  a  day,  her  married  life 
was  not  pleasant ;  but  she  bore  with  her  husband's 
folly,  while  losing  the  love  he  had  at  first  enkindled. 
Things  went  from  bad  to  worse  with  him  and  he 
blew  his  brains  out  in  August,  1776,  at  the  Bedford 
Arms,  leaving  a  wardrobe  worth  some  $40,000. 
With  renewed  interest  his  widow  turned  her  atten- 
tion to   her   art,  and   travelled   extensively  on   the 


^6  Ex   Libris 

Continent  in  order  to  study  the  best  models.  A 
number  of  her  groups  of  animals,  Walpole  chival- 
rously declared  to  be  equal  to  those  of  the  ancient 
masters,  and  Darwin  wrote  the  following  lines,  which 
may  be  taken  to  express  the  common  opinion  of 
this  gifted  lady  of  noble  rank. 

"  Long  with  soft  touch  shall  Darner's  chisel  charm, 
With  grace  delight  us,  and  with  beauty  warm; 
Forstcr's  fine  form  shall  hearts  unborn  engage. 
And  Melbourne's  smile  enchant  another  age." 

Mrs.  Damer  was  greatly  interested  in  the  ideas  of 
that  peculiar  person,  Charles  James  Fox,  who,  in  spite 
of  his  widely  known  habits  and  his  unpleasant  appear- 
ance and  manners,  could  be  so  fascinating  to  the  fair 
sex,  and  she  with  other  noble  women,  dressed  in  the 
Continental  colors  of  blue  and  buff  (in  which  Fox 
then  appeared  in  the  House  of  Commons),  went  forth 
electioneering  for  the  champion  of  the  liberties  of 
the  American  colonists.  In  1797,  upon  the  death 
of  Walpole,  Mrs.  Damer  entered  into  possession  of 
Strawberry  Hill,  and  here  gathered  about  her  those 
friends  she  admired  and  loved.  Among  the  amuse- 
ments of  the  place,  amateur  theatricals  held  no  un- 
important part,  and  in  them  Mrs.  Damer  showed 
herself  to  have  considerable  ability.  For  a  full 
score  of  years  she  occupied  the  charming  old  estate 
and  had  for  her  particular  friends  the  Misses  Berry 
and  the  widow  of  David  Garrick.  Among  her 
famous  works  of  sculpture  are  a  statue  of  George 
III.  and  a  bust  of  Nelson.  Very  fittingly  does  her 
delightful    book-plate    commemorate    her    achieve- 


England  57 


ments  in  her  art,  and  very  properly  is  it  given  a 
choice  place  among  the  treasures  of  the  collector. 

Very  suggestive  of  this  delightful  plate  of  Anna 
Darner  is  the  plate  of  Charles  Hoare,  Esq.,  of  whom 
and  whose  plate,  however,  but  little  is  known.  The 
design  cannot  but  suggest  the  pencil  of  Agnes  Berry, 
nor  is  the  engraving  not  unlike  to  that  of  Legat, 
who  engraved  the  other.  In  this  plate,  which  is 
enclosed  within  an  oval  frame,  a  muse,  presumably 
Calliope,  sits  in  an  attitude  of  reflection  before  a 
marble  monument  upon  which  stands  a  bust  of 
Homer,  which  is  evidently  from  a  well-known  marble 
of  antique  workmanship,  and  upon  the  side  of 
which  are  the  arms  of  the  said  Charles  Hoare.  The 
family  of  Hoare  has  attained  prominence  in  art  and 
letters  through  several  of  its  members,  and  it  may 
very  possibly  be  that  this  plate  belonged  to  the 
half-brother  of  that  Sir  Richard  Colt  Hoare  who 
wrote  the  Ancient  and  Modern  History  of  Wiltshire. 

Charles  James  Fox  used  a  book-plate  also.  In 
the  inscription  he  terms  himself  the  Honorable^  etc., 
showing  that  the  plate  was  made  previous  to  his 
appointment  as  Secretary  of  State  in  1782,  which 
office  he  held  but  a  few  months  on  account  of  the 
death  of  the  premier,  Rockingham.  His  plate  is  of 
the  ordinary  sort  used  by  the  folk  of  his  day,  and  of 
no  interest  save  for  the  accident  of  ownership. 

There  is  a  bit  of  a  record  preserved  regarding 
some  books  from  the  cabinet  of  the  gay  actress  Peg 
Wofiington.  There  was  a  library  sold  in  England 
somewhere  in  the  early  forties  in  which  several  of 
her  books  were  dispersed.  Among  the  interesting 
items  was   this  of  a  religious  character,   Catechisme 


58  Ex   Librls 

du  Diocese  de  Boulogne^  Boulogne^  ^73^-  Not  only- 
does  this  item  from  the  sale  catalogue  interest  us 
because  of  its  remarkable  ownership,  but  more 
particularly  because  of  the  delicious  scribbling  in  the 
hand  of  the  fair  Margaret  herself  which  several  pages 
reveal  and  which  reads  as  follows  :  Miss  IVojfington^ 
her  book,  God  give  her  grace  therein  to  look.  Ce  livre 
appartien  a  Mademoiselle  Woffington.  Garrick,  who 
survived  the  fascinating  performer  some  thirty  odd 
years,  became  possessor  of  this  volume  and  regarded 
it  with  no  little  affection  as  a  juvenile  book  of  his 
favorite  Peggy.  It  will  be  interesting  to  note  that 
at  this  sale  the  book  mentioned  brought  only  seven 
shillings  and  sixpence,  and  that  a  second  one  owned 
by  the  same  fair  reader  and  which  had  her  autograph 
within  its  covers  brought  but  two  shillings. 

Another  plate,  which  must  be  grouped  with  those 
which  draw  some  interest  from  the  association  of 
their  owners  with  Horace  Walpole,  is  that  of  Lady 
Hervey,  the  "  fair  Molly  Lepel "  of  the  ballad 
written  by  Lords  Chesterfield  and  Bath.  In  itself 
the  plate  attracts  no  particular  notice,  as  is  the  case 
with  many  a  book-plate;  but  when  one  knows  some- 
thing of  the  story  of  the  times  and  the  society  in 
which  Lady  Hervey  moved,  even  so  small  a  bit  as 
this  receives  its  quota  of  value.  The  plate  is 
armorial  in  form  with  the  motto,  Je  n  oublierai  jamais, 
on  a  ribbon  below.  The  name  Mary,  Lady 
Hervey,  is  below  this  again.  Lady  Hervey  was  one 
of  those  three  Marys — Lady  Mary  Wortley  Mon- 
tagu, Mary  Bellenden,  and  Mary  Lepell — who  were 
so  famous  for  their  beauty,  their  intelligence,  their 
wit,  and  their  savoir  faire:   women  of  the  gay  and 


England  59 

fashionable  world  they  were  and  they  wielded  the 
powers  granted  them  over  no  small  or  insignificant 
number  of  adherents.  Upon  Lady  Hervey's  death 
in  1768,  Walpole  wrote  more  feelingly  than  was  his 
wont  upon  such  occasions.  The  following  extract  is 
from  his  voluminous  letters  :  — 

"  My  Lady  Hervey,  one  of  my  great  friends,  died  in 
my  absence.  She  is  a  great  loss  to  several  persons  :  her 
house  was  one  of  the  most  agreeable  in  London,  and  her 
own  friendliness  and  amiable  temper  had  attached  all  that 
knew  her.  Her  sufferings  with  the  gout  and  rheumatism 
were  terrible,  and  never  could  affect  her  patience  or  divert 
her  attention  from  her  friends." 

One  of  the  treasures  of  Strawberry  Hill  was  a 
portrait  of  Lady  Hervey  by  Allan  Ramsay,  in  which 
she  is  represented  in  what  was  probably  her  ordinary 
dress,  laced  in  front,  a  fichu  of  muslin  upon  the 
shoulders,  the  sleeves  falling  in  abundant  folds  over 
the  arms  but  being  caught  back  at  the  elbow. 
There  is  a  hood  upon  the  head  tied  becomingly 
under  the  chin  with  a  tiny  ribbon.  The  expression 
is  attractive,  while  the  features  cannot  be  called 
perfect.  In  the  year  1758  Walpole  printed  at  the 
Strawberry  Hill  Press  a  thin  volume  called  An 
Account  of  Russia  as  it  was  in  the  Year  lyio^  by 
Charles  Lord  Whitworth,  and  among  his  letters  to 
Lady  Hervey  is  one  dated  October  17  of  that  year, 
in  which,  towards  the  end,  he  says:  "A  book  has 
been  left  at  your  house.  It  is  Lord  Whitworth's 
account  of  Russia."  It  so  happens  that  through 
the  generosity  of  a  book-collector  now  dead,  a  large 
number  of  choice  books  from  his  collection  were 
left  to  the  Watkinson  Library  of  Hartford,  Conn., 


6o  Ex  Libris 

and  among  them  is  the  very  copy  of  this  book 
which  Walpole  presented  to  Lady  Hervey.  Her 
book-plate  is  still  intact  upon  the  front  cover,  and 
what  is  perhaps  of  even  greater  interest  and  im- 
portance in  establishing  the  identity  of  the  book, 
the  name  M.  Hervey  is  written  by  Walpole  himself 
in  two  places,  once  upon  the  cover  above  the  book- 
plate and  again  on  the  title-page.  This  volume, 
the  fifth  issue  of  the  famous  press,  thus  bears  an 
added  value  to  the  book-lover.  The  name  of  the 
former  owner  of  this  precious  volume,  George  D. 
Sargeant,  is  also  penned  upon  the  title-page. 

Mary  Berry,  the  eldest  of  the  "  twin  wives  "  of 
Horace  Walpole,  had  a  charming  little  book-plate 
the  design  of  which  Walpole  himself  must  have  had 
something  to  do  with.  It  represents  a  strawberry 
plant  with  the  motto.  Inter  folia  fructus^  and  the 
name  under  it.  The  choice  of  this  design  for  her 
book-plate  is,  of  course,  in  plain  allusion  to  her 
home  and  her  name,  and  it  calls  to  mind  at  once 
that  verse  from  a  poem  which  Walpole  addressed 
to  her,  and  which  he  himself  printed  upon  his  pres^, 
having  it  ready  for  the  sisters  to  see  as  a  surprise 
when  he  took  them  out  to  see  the  press-room. 

"  To  Mary's  lips  has  ancient  Rome 
Her  purest  language  taught ; 
And  from  the  modern  city  home 
Agnes  its  pencil  brought. 

"  Rome's  ancient  Horace  sweetly  chants 
Such  maids  with  lyric  fire ; 
Albion's  old  Horace  sings  nor  paints, 
He  only  can  admire. 


England  6i 

"  Still  would  his  press  their  fame  record, 
So  amiable  the  pair  is  ! 
But,  ah  !   how  vain  to  think  his  word 
Can  add  a  straw  to  Berry's." 

The  interesting  history  of  the  delightful  Countess 
of  Blessington  is  brought  to  mind  by  a  very  un- 
obtrusive little  book-plate  which  occupies  the 
corner  of  a  page  in  the  album  which  contains  most 
of  the  plates  these  pages  describe.  There  is  simply 
the  coronet  of  the  earl  and  the  letters,  M.  B.  When 
one  thinks  of  the  books  in  which  these  plates  were 
placed  and  of  the  hands  which  may  have  handled 
them,  when  he  recalls  the  visitors  they  looked  down 
upon  from  their  shelves  in  Gore  House  and  the  con- 
versations carried  on  before  them,  as  if  they  had  no 
life,  he  regards  the  plate  with  something  more  than 
interest.  Perhaps  the  very  hands,  the  models  of 
whose  beauty  in  wax,  ivory,  and  marble  were  to  be 
seen  at  that  house  in  Kensington  Gore,  had  deftly 
pasted  these  bits  of  paper  within  the  covers  of  the 
precious  volumes.  Here  to  this  house,  once  the 
residence  of  William  Wilberforce,  where  the  rooms 
were  large  and  lofty  and  whose  garden  was  one  of 
extraordinary  beauty,  with  its  extensive  lawns,  its 
terraces,  and  its  flower-pots,  came  such  people  as 
the  Prince  Louis  Napoleon,  then  a  refugee  ;  Count 
d'Orsay  of  course,  who  indeed  made  the  place  his 
home  in  order,  for  one  reason,  to  escape  the  punish- 
ment due  him  for  contracting  debts  amounting  to 
$500,000;  the  old  friend  of  Lady  Blessington,  the 
Countess  Guiccioli,  no  longer  the  charming  creat- 
ure who  captivated  the  famous  poet;  Dickens,  and 
John  Forster.     Misfortune  overtook  Lady  Blessing- 


6i  Ex   Libris 

ton,  and  her  house  was  sold  under  the  hammer,  the 
price  it  brought  just  about  paying  her  debts,  which 
amounted  to  some  $60,000.  She  went  to  Paris, 
where  the  d'Orsays  and  the  Countess  GuiccioH,  now 
the  wife  of  the  Marquis  de  Boissy,  an  old  French 
nobleman  who  boasted  of  his  wife's  intimacy  with 
Byron,  received  her  kindly.  When  she  died  in  1839, 
d'Orsay  raised  a  beautiful  mausoleum  in  her  memory 
in  the  churchyard  of  Chambourcy  pres  de  St.  Ger- 
main-en-Laye.  The  ground  around  it  was  covered 
with  turf  and  ivy  brought  from  her  old  home,  and 
within  were  two  sarcophagi,  one  for  her  and  the  other 
for  d'Orsay,  who  survived  her  but  three  years. 

Some  of  the  poets  of  England  used  book-plates 
which,  in  themselves  of  no  especial  interest,  become 
of  value  to  the  collector  from  their  association  with 
men  of  bygone  fame.  There  was  Lord  Charles 
Halifax,  whose  plate  is  not  uncommon  and  whose 
fame  would  seem  to  rest  more  upon  his  career  as  a 
statesman  than  upon  his  few  efforts  in  verse,  yet 
as  Dr.  Johnson,  in  his  Lives  of  the  Poets,  makes 
room  for  Halifax,  shall  any  quarrel  with  this  distinc- 
tion being  granted  him  ^  His  chief  poetical  work 
is  his  reply  to  Dryden's  Hind  and  Panther,  and 
as  Johnson  himself  is  forced  to  remark,  "  a  short 
time  withered  his  beauties."  But  his  book-plate 
has  an  interest  in  itself,  as  it  bears  an  early  date, 
1702,  and  I  believe  at  the  time  this  engraving  was 
made  Lord  Charles  was  for  the  moment  out  of  royal 
favor,  as  well  as  out  of  the  Council.  However,  at 
his  accession  George  L  made  him  an  Earl  and  a 
Knight  of  the  Garter,  so  that  in  some  later  plates 
we  find  these  titles  added. 


England  6^ 

Born  in  poverty  and  knowing  it  as  a  constant 
companion  all  his  days  and  at  the  last  dying  in  its 
arms,  Robert  Bloomfield,  the  uneducated  shoemaker 
poet  of  London,  had  sufficient  imagination  to  design 
for  himself  a  coat-of-arms,  and  sufficient  pride  to 
have  it  engraved  for  a  book-plate.  His  motto,  yf 
Jig  for  the  heralds^  was  a  plain  indication  of  the  ficti- 
tious character  of  the  arms  he  used,  in  which  were 
represented  the  tools  of  his  trade  and  what  seems 
upon  the  other  side  of  the  shield  to  be  a  shoe- 
maker about  to  beat  his  wife.  This  was  designed 
in  some  moment  of  playfulness  or  hate,  and  while  it 
makes  a  welcome  addition  to  the  collector's  albums, 
poor  Bloomfield  could  not  have  had  much  use  for 
it,  as  circumstances  never  favored  him  with  many 
books. 

William  Cowper  made  use  of  the  libraries  of  his 
friends  and  of  those  open  to  the  public,  and  had 
but  few  volumes  he  could  call  his  own.  In  fact,  he 
had  but  nine  books  in  all  between  the  years  1768 
and  1788,  and  when  he  died  a  dozen  years  later  his 
library  consisted  of  177  volumes,  many  of  which 
were  thin,  trifling  i2mos  hardly  worthy  the  name  of 
book.  However,  he  had  a  book-plate,  and  for  this 
reason  his  books  are  of  interest  here.  The  plate  is 
a  plain  armorial,  and  from  its  style  is  judged  to  have 
been  made  somewhere  about  the  year  1790,  towards 
the  completion  of  his  happy  labor  of  translating 
Homer  into  blank  verse.  The  nervous  fever  which 
caused  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  to  be  passed  in 
hopeless  dejection  came  on  him  about  this  time,  and 
as  these  book-plates  have  never  been  seen  in  more 
than  four  books,  it  may  be  that,  having  begun  the 


64  r^'X   Libris 

pleasant  task  of  pasting  them  into  his  books,  he  was 
not  able  to  complete  it. 

Christopher  Anstey  had  a  book-plate  in  the  Rib- 
bon and  Wreath  style,  which  was  made  about  the 
year  1780.  He  was  a  poet  of  no  mean  order  and  one 
who,  according  to  Cary,  "  had  the  rare  merit  of  dis- 
covering a  mode  of  entertainment  which  belonged 
exclusively  to  himself"  This  is  in  reference  to  his 
famous  Nezv  Bath  Guide^  which  hit  off  the  fashion- 
able follies  of  the  day  in  a  manner  which  took  at 
once  with  the  reading  public  and  which  caused  the 
presses  of  Dodsley  to  run  to  their  fullest  capacity 
and  which  really  brought  in  a  larger  recompense 
than  did  Johnson's  Rasselas.  Edition  after  edition 
was  sold,  and  it  is  not  untrue  to  say  that  Smollett 
is  indebted  in  no  small  degree  to  Anstey  not  only 
for  the  motive  but  the  incidents  of  Humphrey  Clinker. 
The  suddenly  and  worthily  famous  writer  of  the 
clever  satire  upon  the  dissipation  and  frivolity  of 
the  Beau  Nash  regime  died  in  1805  and  was  buried 
in  the  city  which  gave  him  the  materials  for  his 
famous  work.  A  monument  in  the  Poet's  Corner 
at  Westminster  Abbey  commemorates  the  man  and 
his  work.  The  armorial  bearings  carved  upon  the 
stone  which  is  set  up  against  the  central  pillar  of 
that  splendid  memorial  will  look  to  the  collector  of 
book-plates  like  a  book-plate  in  stone. 

Robbie  Burns  had  no  book-plate  as  far  as  is 
known  to-day,  but  as  he  invented  for  himself  a  coat- 
of-arms  which  he  used  as  a  seal  and  which  might 
have  served  as  well  for  a  book-plate,  it  will  be  of 
some  interest  to  give  here  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
a  friend  in  March,  1793,  mentioning  his  new  seal. 


England  6^ 

"One  cominission  I  must  trouble  you  with, —  I  want 
to  cut  my  armorial  bearing  (on  a  seal).  Will  you  be  so 
obliging  as  to  inquire  what  the  expense  will  be  ?  I  do  not 
know  that  my  name  is  matriculated,  as  the  heralds  call  it, 
but  I  have  invented  arms  for  myself,  and  by  courtesy  of 
Scotland,  will  likewise  be  entitled  to  supporters.  These, 
however,  I  do  not  intend  to  have  on  my  seal.  I  am  a 
bit  of  a  herald,  and  shall  give  you  my  arms.  On  a  field 
azure,  a  holly  bush,  seeded,  proper,  in  base ;  a  shepherd's 
pipe  and  a  crook,  saltierwise;  also  proper  in  chief  on  a 
wreath  of  the  colors,  a  woodlark  perching  on  a  sprig  of  a 
bay  tree  proper,  for  crest.  Two  mottoes,  round  the  top 
of  the  crest,  ff^ood  notes  wild ;  at  the  bottom  of  the  shield, 
in  the  usual  place.  Better  a  wee  bush  than  nae  b'leld.  By 
the  shepherd's  pipe  and  crook  I  mean  a  stock  and  a  horn 
and  a  club." 

This  seal  was  made  (indeed,  he  had  three  or  four) 
and  was  used  by  Burns  until  his  death.  When  the 
Chevalier  James  Burnes  was  invested  with  the  Guel- 
phic  Order  of  Hanover  by  William  IV.,  he  incorpo- 
rated the  poet's  seal  with  other  devices  in  his  arms 
as  registered  in  the  office  of  Lyon  King  of  Arms. 

"  Then  to  the  well-trod  stage  anon, 
If  Johnson's  learned  sock  be  on. 
Or  sweetest  Shakespeare,  Fancy's  child. 
Warble  his  native  wood-notes  wild." 

(^11  Penseroso,  131-4.) 

It  may  have  been  from  this  verse  of  Milton's 
that  Burns  took  one  of  his  mottoes.  The  words 
frequently  occur  in  Burns'  writings. 

Henry  James  Pye,  Poet-Laureate  of  England 
from  1790  to  i8i3,used  a  book-plate  of  the  middle 
Chippendale  style,  which  is  of  some  interest  on  ac- 

F 


66  Ex   Libris 

count  of  the  distinguished  office  held  by  its  owner, 
which,  however,  by  all  accounts  was  not  graced  by 
his  holding ;  for  he  was  the  maker  of  but  dull  verse 
and,  while  a  respectable  member  of  Parliament  and 
loyal  to  the  interests  of  the  government,  was  not 
thereby  fitted  to  be  its  chosen  songster. 

Robert  Southey  immediately  succeeded  Pye,  and 
he  too  had  a  book-plate  which  is  of  as  much  more 
interest  than  Pye's  as  his  verse  is  of  better  quality. 
The  family  of  Southey  traces  its  line  back  a  consid- 
erable distance,  and  among  those  ancestors  was  a 
follower  of  Monmouth,  who,  had  he  not  in  some 
way  escaped  the  vigilance  of  Judge  Jeffreys,  would 
have  lost  his  life  and  with  it  the  possibility  of 
continuing  the  line  in  which  the  poet  was  born. 
Southey  tried  to  read  law,  but  found  it  like 
"  thrashing  straw,"  and  turned  his  attention  with 
redoubled  energy  to  the  literary  passions  already 
enkindled  within  him.  His  book-plate  is  one  of 
the  dreamy  landscapes  of  Bewick,  and  was  engraved 
by  that  master  in  the  year  1810.  It  shows  the  shield 
of  arms  nestling  against  a  rock,  while  above  and  about 
the  guarding  shrubbery  is  thick  and  abundant. 

The  plate  of  Thomas  Campbell,  which  is  not 
dated  but  which  is  probably  not  later  then  18 10, 
shows  the  arms  of  the  Argyllshire  Campbells  with 
the  well-remembered  "  gyronny  of  eight"  with  the 
boar's  head  crest,  anent  which  the  following  verses 
may  be  read  :  — 

"  So  speed  my  song,  marked  with  the  crest 
That  erst  th'  adventurous  Norman  wore, 
Who  won  the  Lady  of  the  West, 

The  daughter  of  MacCullom  Moore. 


England  67 

"  Crest  of  my  sires  !   whose  blood  it  sealed 
With  glory  in  the  strife  of  swords, 
Ne'er  may  the  scroll  that  bears  it  yield 
Degenerate  thought  or  faithless  words." 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  Campbell  family 
sprung  from  the  union  of  a  Norman  warrior  of  the 
twelfth  century  and  the  heiress  of  Lochow,  to  whom 
there  is  reason  to  fear  the  marriage  was  not  welcome. 
Campbell  expressed  in  these  lines  a  hope  to  which 
he  was  loyal,  for  no  written  line  of  his  could  he  wish 
to  change  or  lose. 

And  Rogers,  Samuel  Rogers,  he  who  impressed 
every  one  with  the  elegance  of  his  taste,  he  used  a 
book-plate  of  elegant  simplicity,  as  one  would  expect 
him  to  do.  Designed  in  the  chaste  Ribbon  and 
Wreath  style,  his  plate  dates  not  far  from  1790,  prob- 
ably. Surely  then  this  plate  must  have  been  in  the 
books  which  were  in  the  beautiful  bookcase  "  painted 
by  Stothard  in  his  very  best  manner,  with  groups 
from  Chaucer,  Shakespeare,  and  Boccaccio,"  as 
Lord  Macaulay  relates.  In  speaking  further  of  the 
delights  of  this  famous  house  of  Rogers',  at  11  St. 
James  Place,  to  which  the  banker-poet  came  in  the 
year  1800,  the  same  writer  says:  "What  a  delight- 
ful house  it  is  !  It  looks  out  on  the  Green  Park 
at  just  the  most  pleasant  point.  The  furniture  has 
been  selected  with  a  delicacy  of  taste  quite  unique. 
Its  value  does  not  depend  on  fashion,  but  must  be 
the  same  while  the  fine  arts  are  held  in  any  esteem." 
In  a  similar  strain  is  the  following  from  Proctor's 
Recollections  of  Men  of  Letters :  "  Upon  the  whole,  I 
never  saw  any  house  so  tastefully  fitted  up  and 
decorated.      Everything  was  good  of  its  kind  and 


68  Ex  Libris 

in  good  order.  There  was  no  plethora,  no  appear- 
ance of  display,  no  sign  of  superfluous  wealth. 
There  was  not  too  much  of  anything,  not  even  too 
much  welcome,  yet  no  lack  of  it."  Again,  to  quote 
from  the  diary  of  Byron  :  "  If  you  enter  his  house, 
his  drawing-room,  his  library,  you  of  yourself  say 
this  is  not  the  dwelling  of  a  common  mind.  There 
is  not  a  gem,  not  a  coin,  a  book  thrown  aside  on  the 
chimney-piece,  his  sofa,  his  table,  that  does  not  be- 
speak an  almost  fastidious  elegance  in  the  posses- 
sor." And  to  have  a  copy  of  Rogers'  book-plate 
in  his  collection,  to  handle  the  very  paper  which  he 
may  have  pasted  with  exquisite  care  into  some 
selected  volume,  how  real  the  pleasure,  how  rich  the 
sense  of  companionship  ! 

Lord  Byron,  admirer  of  Campbell,  Moore,  and 
Rogers,  reckless  in  his  choice  of  friends,  he  too  had 
a  book-plate,  but  it  is  with  not  a  little  disappoint- 
ment that  it  is  found  to  show  the  Noel  arms.  One 
cannot  but  wonder  how  this  plate  came  to  be  made. 
Byron  himself  seems  hardly  likely  to  have  ordered 
so  slight  a  matter  attended  to  while  busy  in  Italy 
with  his  schemes  with  Hunt  and  Shelley  ;  perhaps 
it  was  done  upon  the  order  of  Burdett,  the  arbiter, 
or  again,  as  conjecture  is  our  only  aid  in  solving  the 
interesting  question,  may  we  not  believe  it  was  the 
gift  of  his  affectionate  half-sister,  Augusta  Leigh  ? 
And  again,  had  Byron  any  or  many  of  these  plates 
with  him  in  Italy  ?  Amid  all  the  excitement  of  the 
strange  things  there  done,  at  Pisa,  at  Leghorn,  at 
Genoa,  at  Ravenna,  one  wonders  if  a  book-plate 
could  have  claimed  the  least  attention.  Deeply 
affected  for  a  time  by  the  dreadful  death  of  Shelley 


England  69 

and  the  burning  of  his  body  on  the  sands  of 
Spezzia,  within  a  few  months  he  quarrelled  with 
the  fascinating  Countess  Guiccioli,  and  the  journey- 
to  Greece  was  shortly  afterwards  undertaken.  What 
with  the  monkeys  and  the  other  impedimenta,  was 
there  chance  for  a  book-plate  to  have  been  thought 
of  ?  Little  do  we  know,  little  can  we  guess,  of  the 
origin  or  the  use  of  this  bit  of  paper  engraved  with 
the  arms  of  the  Wentworth-Noels.  In  itself  the 
plate  is  uninteresting,  being  one  easily  passed  over 
in  any  collection  of  ordinary  armorials,  but  when 
viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  the  informed  col- 
lector with  what  interest  it  is  invested ! 

Charles  Kingsley  may  with  some  considerable 
reason  be  classed  among  the  poets,  and  his  plate 
find  mention  here.  It  is  another  example  of  the 
common  and  undesirable  kind,  which  but  for  its 
owner  would  never  be  retained  by  him  who  elects 
to  have  a  choice  collection  of  plates.  However, 
this  simple  armorial  plate  ranks  high  among  his 
treasures  when  once  the  collector  is  so  fortunate  as 
to  secure  it ;  for  it  is  not  widely  distributed  or  indeed 
very  widely  known. 

In  the  writings  of  the  late  Lord  Tennyson  one  is 
somewhat  surprised  to  find  upon  examination  very 
scanty  reference  to  the  science  of  heraldry.  Upon 
first  thought  the  tales  of  the  chivalrous  knights  of 
the  Table  Round  will  occur  to  the  reader,  and  he 
may  think  the  lines  descriptive  of  their  prowess  to 
be  full  of  heraldic  emblazonry  and  the  pomp  and 
state  the  lists  suggest.  Not  so ;  Arthur  himself  is 
clad  in  the  silken  garment,  ornamented  with  a 
dragon,  and  the  shield  of  Sir  Lancelot  is  mentioned 


yo  Ex   Libris 

as  bearing  "  azure  lions  crowned  with  gold,  ram- 
pant," while  Gareth  has  one  "  blue,  and  thereon  the 
morning  star,"  and  these  are  about  all  the  passages 
that  can  be  thought  of  that  refer  with  anything  like 
certainty  to  heraldry.  And  the  book-plate  which 
the  poet-laureate  made  use  of  shows  the  arms  of 
the  commoner,  and  not  the  special  grant,  with  its 
somewhat  different  blazoning,  given  when  he  was 
raised  to  the  peerage.  Truth  to  tell,  it  is  but  a 
common-looking  plate,  which,  save  for  the  autograph 
beneath  it,  would  never  attract  notice.  But  that  bit 
of  scrawled  penmanship  makes  the  plate  one  the 
collector  is  proud  to  have  within  his  cases. 

Although  Alfieri  was  not  an  Englishman,  he  is 
classed  here  among  the  poets.  Vittorio  Alfieri  was 
born  of  a  noble  family  in  1749,  at  Asti,  in  Pied- 
mont. He  lived  many  years  in  England  and  in 
France,  and  wrote  some  fine  tragedies  and  a  quantity 
of  minor  poems.  His  career  was  romantic,  though 
not  worthy  of  imitation,  and  his  attachment  for  the 
Countess  of  Albany  is  of  course  familiar  to  every 
reader  of  history.  He  used  a  book-plate  of  exceed- 
ing beauty,  and  it  is  unfortunate  that  the  name  of 
its  engraver  is  not  preserved.  The  design  repre- 
sents Father  Time  casting  down  his  scythe  and  with 
the  gesture  of  despair  regarding  the  works  of  the 
poet,  which  lie  in  a  pile  upon  a  stone  pedestal.  The 
Italian  motto  helps  one  to  understand  the  motive 
of  the  designer,  which  was  to  record  the  fact  that 
even  Time  himself  was  unable  to  obliterate  the  fame 
of  their  author.  Rather  a  vain  motto  this,  one 
would  think,  for  a  man  to  select  for  use  upon  his 
own    book-plate,  even  if  its  verdict  should  subse- 


England  71 

quently  be  that  of  a  nation  upon  the  works  of  the  most 
celebrated  poet  of  his  age,  and  the  one  who  raised 
the  Italian  tragic  drama  from  its  degraded  condition. 

The  name  of  Thomas  Frognall  Dibdin  must  ever 
remain  to  the  book-lover  as  that  of  a  prince  among 
bibliographers  and  book-collectors.  Founder  of 
the  famous  Roxburghe  Club  and  writer  of  several 
important  and  much-prized  works  relating  to  the 
love  and  collecting  of  books,  he  used  a  book-plate 
upon  which  he  recorded  his  tastes  with  a  manner  at 
once  pleasing  and  characteristic.  Without  attempt- 
ing the  difficult  feat  of  blazoning  the  arms  in  her- 
aldic terminology,  let  it  suffice  to  say  that  the  shield 
is  quartered  and  that  in  the  first  quarter  there  is 
upon  the  azure  field  a  lion  rampant  debruised  by  a 
bendlet  of  silver,  over  which  is  a  label  of  three  points 
having  the  same  color.  In  the  second  quarter,  with 
which  begins  the  bookish  flavor  of  the  design,  a 
chapman  clad  in  gold  walks  before  a  red  field. 
Within  the  third,  upon  a  silver  field,  the  colophon 
mark  of  Fust  and  Schoefi'er  is  given,  and  in  the 
last  the  printer's  mark  of  William  Caxton.  For 
crest  a  hand  upholds  an  open  book,  which  is  seen 
to  be  an  early  illuminated  volume  with  metal  clasps. 
Perhaps  no  plate  has  yet  been  devised  by  a  biblio- 
maniac which  equals  this  for  the  quality  of  its 
appropriateness  and  apparent  conformity  to  the 
style  of  the  period.  It  is  a  plate  not  easily  picked 
up  to-day  and  one  to  value  when  found. 

There  is  a  very  curious  plate,  which  probably  dates 
in  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century,  in  which 
the  profession  of  the  owner  is  apparent  at  a  glance. 
This  is  the  plate  of  J,  Wilson,  a  professor  of  phre- 


72  Ex  Libris 

nologv,  who,  to  make  sure  that  his  exceedingly 
obvious  design  should  not  be  misunderstood,  has 
recorded  his  occupation  along  with  his  name.  The 
plate  pictures  some  half-dozen  skulls  tumbled  in  a 
little  group  upon  the  ground.  The  expression  of  the 
fleshless  facial  bones  is  grotesque  to  a  degree.  The 
various  bumps  are  labelled,  and  it  may  be  supposed 
that  these  skulls  represented  here  are  samples  of 
the  best  specimens  the  professor  examined  in  his 
whole  experience  ! 

The  original  copper  of  the  book-plate  of  Thomas 
Carlyle  is  on  view  at  the  South  Kensington 
Museum,  London,  and  many  prints  of  it  are  about. 
There  is  a  letter  from  Carlvle  himself  to  H.  T. 
Wake,  the  designer  of  the  plate,  which,  dated  24 
November,  1 853,  expresses  the  great  writer's  pleasure 
in  the  design  by  the  following  words  :  — 

*■'■  The  new  plate  is  exquisitely  finished  and  very  excel- 
lent as  an  arabesque.  Nevertheless  we  will  stand  by  the 
first  one,  and  on  the  whole  if  you  have  it  at  the  right  size, 
and  know  a  good  engraver,  I  will  request  you  to  have  it 
engraved  for  me  without  further  delay.  We  are  going  out 
of  town  in  a  week  till  about  New  Year's  Day.  I  hope  you 
may  have  it  ready  about  that  time." 

By  this  and  the  word  of  Mr.  Wake  himself,  it 
appears  that  there  were  three  or  four  designs  sub- 
mitted before  the  one  chosen  was  finally  decided 
upon.  This  is  somewhat  suggestive  of  a  grave- 
stone in  form  as  well  as  in  the  style  of  the  lettering. 
It  bears  two  dolphin's  heads  for  crest,  with  the  motto 
Humilitate  on  a  ribbon  above,  while  the  name  of 
the  owner  occupies  the  carved  base. 


England  73 

Investigation  has  not  yet  revealed  that  Sir  Walter 
Scott  used  a  book-plate  ;  but  there  are  reasons  to 
hope  that  such  a  delightful  bit  may  yet  be  numbered 
among  the  memorabilia  of  this  loved  writer,  and  if 
it  really  is  discovered,  it  may  possibly  have  upon  it 
the  Scott  motto,  The  moon  renews  her  horns,  the 
meaning  of  which  Is  not  clear  unless  explained,  but 
upon  explanation  becomes  of  no  little  interest.  This, 
it  seems,  v/as  one  of  the  sayings  of  the  Lowland  bor- 
derers, and  was  a  hint  to  the  laird  that  the  larder 
needed  replenishing.  It  was  when  the  horns  of  the 
moon  became  visible  that  those  marauding  expedi- 
tions which  make  border  history  so  interesting  to  read 
were  undertaken,  and  the  speaking  of  the  words  was 
as  effective  as  the  placing  of  the  spurs  within  the 
larder  ! 

Among  modern  plates  of  special  interest  the 
striking  plate  of  Rudyard  Kipling,  designed  by 
his  father,  holds  an  important  place.  Its  prin- 
cipal feature  is  an  enormous  elephant,  reminding 
one  of  "  ould  obstructionist "  himself,  as  he  fills 
completely  the  framework  of  the  design.  Seated 
within  the  howdah,  easily  reclines  one  who  may 
be  supposed  to  be  the  interpreter  of  the  ways  of 
the  jungle  himself,  while  upon  the  massive  head 
of  the  willing  beast  sits  his  guide,  the  rear  oc- 
cupied by  the  servant  holding  the  hubble-bubble 
which  the  occupant  of  the  howdah  smokes  with 
apparent  comfort  as  he  reads  his  little  volume. 

John  Couch  Adams,  who  shares  with  Leverrier 
the  honor  of  having  discovered  the  planet  Neptune, 
used  a  book-plate  of  a  very  simple  and  pleasing 
design.       It   is    of    especial    interest    perhaps,    be- 


74  Ex  Llbr'is 

cause  it  presents  a  fairly  accurate  portrait  of  this 
distinguished  scholar.  The  portrait  is  enclosed 
within  a  circle,  while  around  it  lie  some  stars  and 
there  is  by  them  a  branch  of  the  victor's  palm. 
Abundant  honors  were  heaped  upon  Professor 
Adams  when  his  rich  discovery  was  known  to  the 
world,  and  when  he  died,  in  1892,  a  monument  was 
erected  to  his  memory  in  Westminster  Abbey, 
although  he  was  buried  in   Cambridge. 

Sir  J.  E.  Millais  has  designed  just  one  book- 
plate, and  that  was  for  Mr.  Christopher  Sykes,  and 
represents  the  legend  of  the  saint  of  that  name 
with  the  arms  of  the  Sykes  family  in  a  conspicuous 
place.  It  is  a  plate  of  beauty  and  yet  of  utter 
simplicity. 

Thackeray  designed  one  book-plate ;  this  was  for 
his  friend  Edward  Fitzgerald,  and  in  which  the 
likeness  is  supposed  to  be  that  of  Mrs.  Brookfield. 
Mr.  Edmund  Gosse  has  given  out  the  following 
note  from   Fitzgerald  relative  to  the  plate :  — 

"Done  by  Thackeray  one  day  in  Coram  Street  in  1842. 
All  wrong  on  her  feet,  so  he  said,  —  I  can  see  him  now. 
—  E.  F.  G." 

The  device  itself  is  simple,  being  that  of  an  angel 
holding  before  her  a  shield  of  arms.  As  to  the 
feet,  one  would  say  that  they  were  tiny  and  in  the 
picture  are  pressed  very  closely  together,  so  that 
the  figure  looks  in  danger  of  tipping  over. 

The  collector  looks  with  peculiar  interest  upon 
the  book-plate  which  bears  the  name  The  Hon. 
J.  B.  Leicester  Warren.  This  is  the  plate  of  the 
late   Lord  de  Tabley,  who,  before  he  succeeded  in 


England  75 

the  later  years  of  his  life  to  the  title  of  de  Tabley, 
had  endeared  himself  to  many  friends  by  the  un- 
assuming gentleness  and  the  marked  sweetness  of 
his  character,  and  whose  work  as  a  poet  was  of  such 
merit  as  to  have  won  the  regard  of  the  critics  best 
suited  to  judge  its  value.  To  book-plate  collectors 
he  will  always  be  known  as  the  first  student  who 
considered  these  little  bits  of  engraving  worthy  of 
a  treatise.  His  Guide  to  the  Study  of  Book-plates 
will  ever  remain  as  an  enduring  monument.  Writ- 
ten in  the  most  scholarly  manner,  with  every  evidence 
of  leisure  and  of  ripe  judgment,  with  indications  of 
a  poetical  mind  and  of  one  well  stored  with  the 
knowledge  which  marks  the  man  of  culture,  the 
book  has  no  small  merit  surely  as  a  literary  pro- 
duction. His  system  of  classifying  and  naming 
plates  is  likely  to  endure  for  all  time,  and  as  his 
book  grows  rarer  and  rarer,  the  more  will  it  be 
prized  by  its  owners.  His  plate  was  designed 
by  his  friend  William  Bell  Scott,  and  it  most  fitly 
indicates  the  tastes  of  its  owner :  The  shelves  of 
books  for  his  love  of  the  printed  page,  the  coin 
drawers  to  hold  his  medals  and  coins,  the  branch  of 
the  bramble, — for  Lord  de  Tabley  was  fond  of  bot- 
any and  had  made  the  genus  Rubus  a  special  study, 
—  the  sketch  of  the  dock-weed,  —  for  the  Rumex  was 
again  one  of  his  favorites,  —  and  the  manuscript  verses 
to  indicate  his  position  as  a  poet.  The  plate  was 
a  surprise  to  its  owner,  whose  modesty,  had  he  been 
allowed  to  have  his  say,  would  very  probably  never 
have  permitted  so  many  personal  suggestions  to 
creep  in.  The  plate  is  one  of  real  beauty,  and 
when    the    collector    can    accompany   it  with    some 


76  Ex   Libris 

autograph  letters  from  its  lamented  owner,  he  may- 
well  feel  proud  of  his  possessions. 

The  plate  of  Mr.  Gladstone  was  a  gift  to  him 
from  Lord  Northbourne  in  1889,  on  the  occasion 
of  the  celebration  of  the  golden  wedding  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Gladstone,  and  the  dates  23d,  July,  1839, 
and  23d,  July,  1889,  appear  in  the  design.  This 
date,  if  memory  serves,  is  not  the  exact  one  of  the 
wedding,  but  is  a  few  days  later,  the  reason  for 
which  1  do  not  know.  The  original  form  of  the 
name,  "  Gledstane,"  is  played  upon  in  this  design 
in  having  kites  [gleds]  and  stones  introduced. 
The  helmet  is  made  rather  prominent  to  empha- 
size the  fact  that  Mr.  Gladstone  remains  a  com- 
moner. The  plate  is  handsome  and  successful 
as  a  bit  of  allegorical  work,  but  it  hardly  seems 
to  be  the  style  of  plate  that  its  owner  would  have 
chosen  himself. 

Austin  Dobson  uses  a  plate  which  was  originally 
a  tail-piece  in  his  volume  of  verses,  entitled,  Ai  the 
Sign  of  the  Lyre.  Alfred  Parsons  designed  it,  and  it 
represents  the  inn  sign  with  the  lyre  painted  on  it, 
and  the  initials  A.  D. 

The  plate  of  Mr.  Edmund  Gosse  represents  a 
gentleman  of  the  seventeenth  century  walking  in 
his  garden,  and  reading  a  little  volume  of  verses. 
This  graceful  little  picture  is  from  the  pencil  of 
Edwin  A.  Abbey. 

Laurence  Alma-Tadema  employs  a  large  plate, 
circular  in  form,  and  in  which  the  pictorial  arts  find 
representation.  A  large  monogram  fills  the  fore- 
ground.    This  was  designed  by  Elmsly  Inglis. 

The  book-plate  of  Sir  Henry  Irving  is  a  curious 


England  77 

affair  printed  in  black  and  red,  and  which  seems  to 
represent  a  dragon  bearing  aloft  a  scroll  with  the 
name  of  the  owner  upon  it.  By  the  way,  Sir  Henry 
has  said  something  about  the  plate  in  a  note  which 
is  to  the  following  effect :  — 

"  I  think  that  it  was  designed  by  Bernard  Partridge, 
though  there  is  nothing  of  that  bird  in  the  composition. 
The  occult  meaning  —  so  far  as  I  know  there  is  none; 
but  Partridge  may  have  intended  his  '  dragon  '  to  be  a  sort 
of  glorified  sandwich  man  with  the  Lyceum  play-bill ! " 

Frederick  Locker-Lampson,  the  lamented  poet, 
used  a  pleasing  design  which  was  made  by  Walter 
Crane,  who  has  devised  some  plates  of  great  beauty. 
For  some  of  the  children  of  the  Locker  family, 
Kate  Greenaway  has  made  some  fetching  plates. 

The  plate  of  Sir  Walter  Besant  shows  the  interior 
of  the  study  of  the  scholar,  with  rows  of  books 
about,  the  hour-glass  upon  the  writing  table,  and  the 
globe  at  one  side. 

Anthony  Trollope,  a  novelist  who  gave  the  world 
some  delightful  stories,  used  a  very  simple  book- 
plate of  the  plain  armorial  style,  showing  the  arms 
of  the  family,  and  having  his  name  engraved  below. 
No  motto  is  given  which  might  indicate  the  novel- 
ist's favorite  author,  or  his  chosen  words  of  comfort 
or  inspiration. 

A  modest  little  plate,  whose  design  and  legend 
indicate  little  to  the  average  observer,  was  used  by 
Reginald  Heber,  the  hymn-writer.  This  plate  is 
simply  the  bishop's  mitre  with  the  words  R.  Calcutta 
below  it.  Heber  was  the  second  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta, and,  while  he  may  not  have   had    so  many 


78  Ex  Libris 

books  as  did  his  brother  (who,  be  it  remembered, 
had  a  Hbrary  in  Hodnet,  one  at  Oxford,  an  im- 
mense one  at  Paris,  two  in  London,  one  at  Antwerp, 
one  at  Ghent,  and  others  still  in  Flanders  and 
Germany),  he  still  must  have  had  a  considerable 
collection.  He  was  among  the  worthies  honored 
with  the  friendship  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  the 
sixth  canto  of  Marmion  is  dedicated  to  him  in  token 
of  this  friendship. 

The  Right  Honorable  Benjamin  Disraeli  is  the  plain 
inscription  upon  a  simple  armorial  design  which 
shows  the  arms  of  his  family  impaling  those  of  his 
wife.  The  motto,  Forti  nihil  difficile^  "  Nothing  is 
difficult  to  the  brave,"  seems  well  chosen  in  view  of 
the  successful  career  of  this  author  and  statesman, 
whose  ups  and  downs  of  political  life  came  with 
something  like  regularity.  This  plate  was  made 
previous  to  his  elevation  to  the  peerage  with  the 
title  of  Earl  of  Beaconsfield,  which  honor  was  con- 
ferred in  the  year  1876. 

The  plate  of  Rider  Haggard,  designed  by  Rev. 
W.  J.  Loftie,  is  one  that  few  can  read,  as  it  is  com- 
posed of  strange  hieroglyphics,  but  it  gives  one  the 
impression  of  being  well  suited  to  the  writer  of 
She  and  the  recorder  of  the  amazing  adventures 
of  Umslopagaas. 

Mrs.  Humphry  Ward  employs  a  book-plate, 
but  not  by  herself  alone.  Upon  her  design,  which 
represents  books  and  an  hour-glass  with  the  old 
motto  style  On  bookes  for  to  rede  I  me  delyte^  the  in- 
scription shows  that  it  marks  the  books  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Humphry  Ward.  The  number  of  joint  plates 
of  this  character  is  large,  and  is  increasing. 


England  79 

A  year  or  two  ago  the  Literary  World  of  Lon- 
don related  a  curious  fact  in  connection  with  the 
rehearsal  of  Mr.  Wilson  Barrett's  play  T^he  Manx- 
man^ founded  upon  the  novel  of  the  same  name 
by  Mr.  Hall  Caine,  in  which  a  forgotten  book- 
plate played  a  peculiar  part.  In  the  third  act  of 
the  play  Philip  Christian  is  made  Deemster  and  his 
house  is  surrounded  by  a  tumultuous  crowd  shout- 
ing and  cheering  for  "  the  Deemster  Christian." 
Philip  then  steps  to  the  window  and  addresses  the 
people  outside  in  a  speech  which  readers  of  the 
novel  will  remember.  It  seems  that  upon  the  occa- 
sion referred  to  the  young  actor  who  was  to  make 
this  speech  showed  considerable  nervousness  and 
uncertainty,  seeing  which  Mr.  Barrett  called  out 
from  the  footlights,  "  Bring  him  a  book ;  let  him 
hold  it  open  in  one  hand  and  seem  to  have  been 
reading."  The  stage-manager  then  shouted  to  the 
property-man  in  the  wings  to  bring  a  book  quickly. 
Presently  out  of  the  property-room  an  old  dusty 
leather-bound  book  was  brought  by  the  call-boy. 
As  it  was  handed  to  the  actor  who  was  to  use  it,  he 
opened  it  and  chanced  to  observe  a  book-plate 
pasted  within  the  front  cover  which  read,  "  The 
Deemster  Christian  —  Isle  of  Man."  At  the  next 
instant  the  supers  outside  were  shouting,  "  The 
Deemster  Christian,  the  Deemster  Christian."  It 
is  claimed  that  some  years  ago  the  book  was  bought 
with  a  job  lot  of  other  things  for  the  use  of  the 
theatre  at  the  sale  of  a  former  Deemster's  effects, 
but  had  never  happened  to  have  been  brought  into 
use  until  the  moment  it  was  put  into  the  hands  of 
the  Deemster's  namesake  on  the  mimic  stage.     The 


8o  Ex   Libris 

author  himself  is  said  to  have  been  unconscious  that 
there  had  been  a  Deemster  Christian  when  he  so 
named  his  character.  If  this  story  is  quite  true,  it 
adds  a  very  curious  bit  to  the  agenda  of  the  book- 
plate collector ;  but  it  seems  to  need  some  confirma- 
tion, even  were  it  in  so  small  a  matter  as  the  naming 
of  the  theatre  in  which  the  event  occurred. 

A  very  noticeable  plate  is  that  of  Miss  Ethel 
Selina  Clulow,  in  which  the  lamp  of  knowledge  forms 
the  conspicuous  feature,  as  it  stands  upon  the  table 
shedding  its  bright  beams  upon  the  interesting  pile 
of  books  at  one  hand  and  the  implements  of  the 
writer  as  they  lie  about  the  board.  A  bunch  of 
fruit-laden  branches  fills  the  upper  part  of  the  frame, 
expressive  probably  of  the  fruit  of  knowledge,  and 
the  motto,  My  book s  my  worlds  is  given  upon  a  rib- 
bon which  floats  among  the  leaves.  A  feature 
likely  to  be  overlooked  is  the  neatly  designed  scroll 
which  forms  the  initials  of  the  lady's  name. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  describe  to  one's  satis- 
faction the  beautiful  work  by  which  Mr.  Charles  W. 
Sherborn  has  endeared  himself  to  lovers  of  engraved 
pictures.  His  book-plates  are  marvels  of  skill  in 
design  and  execution.  The  brilliancy  of  the  prints, 
the  intricacy  of  the  design,  the  fitness  of  all  parts  to 
each  other  and  to  the  central  purpose  and  idea  of 
the  plate,  render  all  his  pieces  attractive  even  to  him 
who  looks  casually  and  without  the  knowledge  of 
the  expert.  Among  the  most  prized  of  his  plates 
are  that  for  the  Burlington  Fine  Arts  Library;  the 
plate  of  All  Souls'  College,  Oxford ;  the  plate  of 
William  Robinson,  in  which  the  delightful  vignette 
of  Erasmus  is  reproduced ;  the  plate  of  Samuel  S. 


England  8i 

Joseph,  with  its  reproduction  of  a  striking  bit  by 
Rembrandt ;  the  very  ornate  plate  for  General 
Wolseley,  and  the  less  fanciful  though  equally  well- 
adapted  design  for  his  daughter,  the  Honorable 
Frances  G.  Wolseley;  a  handsome  heraldic  plate  for 
Arthur  Vicars,  Ulster  King  of  Arms  ;  the  plate  for 
Sidney  Colvin,  friend  and  biographer  of  the  la- 
mented Robert  Louis  Stevenson ;  and  a  plate  made 
for  his  own  books,  in  which  the  allegorical  figures 
represent  the  passage  of  the  soul  from  birth  to  im- 
mortality. All  of  Mr.  Sherborn's  work  is  eagerly 
sought  by  the  collectors,  but  few  on  this  side  of  the 
ocean  have  any  considerable  number  of  the  plates  he 
has  made.  They  number  well  over  one  hundred 
now. 

Closely  resembling  the  work  of  Mr.  Sherborn  in 
some  respects,  yet  distinguished  from  it  by  a  per- 
sonal touch  which  not  merely  saves  it  from  the 
charge  of  copy-work,  but  is  its  real  recommenda- 
tion, is  that  done  by  Mr.  G.  W.  Eve,  a  younger 
worker  but  one  of  well-nigh  equal  ability.  To  the 
American  collector  there  is  little  in  the  mere  heral- 
dic book-plate  to  attract  him.  He  sees  nothing 
but  an  arrangement  of  crosses,  dots,  circles,  and 
various  queerly  drawn  members  of  the  animal  king- 
dom, with  some  allowance  of  fabled  monsters  thrown 
in.  So  that  while  an  American  may  have  a  proper 
pride  in  the  heraldic  bearings  of  his  ancestors,  he 
will  not  use  them  in  a  too  conspicuous  position  upon 
his  book-plate.  .  Mr.  Eve  has  chosen  for  the  par- 
ticular field  in  which  to  show  his  art,  the  heraldic 
form  of  the  book-plate,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no 
artist  of  the  present  day  succeeds  so  admirably  in 


82  Ex   Libris 

giving  the  hackneyed  arrangements  of  the  shield  of 
arms  a  touch  of  hfe  and  lucidity  which  once  more 
recommends  them  to  the  tired  observer.  All  his 
designs  are  etched,  and  the  workmanship  displayed 
is  something  to  admire.  Unfortunately  for  the  col- 
lectors, the  owners  of  plates  by  this  artist  are  not 
lavish  in  bestowing  them  upon  known  members  ot 
their  guild. 

The  work  of  H.  Stacy  Marks  is  of  so  personal 
and  peculiar  a  sort  as  to  be  recognized  at  once. 
His  peculiarities  consist  chiefly  in  a  noble  disdain 
of  the  merely  ornamental :  all  his  plates  bear  the 
mark  of  the  trained  artist  who  depends  upon  accu- 
rate drawing  and  the  correct  lighting  and  shading, 
rather  than  the  intricacy  or  the  variety  of  his  pat- 
terns, for  his  success.  The  plate  for  Mr.  James 
Roberts  Brown,  sometime  President  of  the  Sette  of 
Odd  Volumes  of  London,  is  one  of  the  most  char- 
acteristic of  his  delightful  bits.  In  this  we  see  the 
learned  chemist  (the  portrait,  by-the-by,  is  a  carica- 
ture with  no  little  resemblance  to  Mr.  Brown,  who 
is  something  of  a  chemist)  sitting  before  his  study 
table  watching  some  process  of  vaporization  which 
is  going  on  within  the  crucible  which,  upon  its  tripod, 
receives  the  hot  flame  of  the  alcohol  lamp.  Indica- 
tions of  the  literary  tastes  and  the  heraldic  knowledge 
of  the  owner  are  not  wanting,  but  they  are  shown 
with  a  directness  and  an  intentional  lack  of  posing 
for  effect  which  one  recognizes  with  a  sort  of  grati- 
tude. The  merely  "  pretty  "  plates  are  so  common 
and  so  unsatisfactory  that  when  one  comes  across  a 
strong  bit  of  masculine  work  it  is  a  relief  and  a 
delight.      Mr.  Marks  has  made  many  plates,  and  in 


England  83 

them  all  may  be  found  these  merits  of  individuality 
and  simplicity.  In  his  recent  volume  of  reminis- 
cences, Pen  and  Pencil  Sketches^  he  says  some  perti- 
nent things  regarding  the  art  of  the  book-plate,  from 
which  the  following  lines  are  quoted. 

"  I  have  looked  through  many  collections,  and,  generally 
speaking,  found  in  them  more  that  appealed  to  the  herald 
and  the  genealogist  than  to  the  artist.  Yet  there  are  many 
admirable  examples  by  the  old  men,  to  mention  only  Diirer, 
Holbein,  and  lesser  artists  influenced  by  them,  while  to-day 
there  is  an  almost  unlimited  list  of  men  capable  of  design- 
ing beautiful  and  artistic  work.  .  .  .  But  examples  of 
those  artists  are  comparatively  rare  in  the  folios  of  collec- 
tors compared  with  '  Armorials,'  namely,  heraldic  book- 
plates of  coat-of-arms  and  crests  commonplace  in  character, 
without  design,  without  taste,  without  feeling,  the  common 
or  garden  book-plate,  which  is  seen  in  the  windows  of  seal 
engravers  or  die-sinkers,  and  which  have  even  less  relation 
to  art  than  the  humble  attempts  of  the  individual  who 
decorates  the  pavement  of  our  streets.  So  when  a  man 
resolves  on  having  a  book-plate  of  his  own,  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  he  takes  the  aid  of  a  tradesman  rather  than  of 
an  artist.  There  is  much  to  be  done  in  elevating  the 
taste,  it  appears  to  me,  both  of  those  who  collect  and  those 
who  commission  book-plates." 

His  latest  plates  are  for  G.  A.  Storey,  in  which 
Orpheus  is  seen  piping  to  the  assembled  animals, 
and  for  Mary  H.  Marks,  in  which  the  birds  of  the 
forest  appear  in  great  profusion,  making  a  veritable 
jungle  picture. 

To  Mr.  R.  Anning  Bell  belongs  the  credit  of  suc- 
cessfully initiating  a  new  style  of  book-plate  design- 
ing.     In  England,  a  country  where  artists  abound 


84  Ex   Libris 

who  continually  attempt  the  development  of  some- 
thing new  with  painful  lack  of  foundation  to  build 
upon  or  education  to  second  them,  this  is  an  achieve- 
ment. Mr,  Anning  Bell,  however,  outranks  his 
competitors  and  gives  to  the  designing  of  the  book- 
plate sincere  attention  with  thorough  training  and  a 
true  artistic  perception  to  aid  him.  There  is  an 
elegance  in  these  bits  which  wins  for  them  high 
praise  from  capable  critics,  and  in  his  designs  may 
be  found  all  the  qualities  which  make  for  the  per- 
fect work  ot  art.  Here  is  beauty  of  form,  exquisite 
composition,  a  just  appreciation  of  line  and  mass 
work,  and  in  addition  to  these  too  often  neglected 
features,  fitness  for  the  purpose  intended  and  letter- 
ing well  designed  and  skilfully  placed.  It  is  true 
that  not  all  his  designs  will  please,  but  surely  such  a 
delightful  bit  as  the  plate  for  Christabel  A.  Frampton, 
showing  two  young  ladies  in  the  open  air  enjoying 
the  cool  of  the  evening,  with  guitar  and  song,  cannot 
fail  to  commend  itself.  The  seated  figure  has  been 
borrowed,  it  may  be  said  in  passing,  to  decorate  the 
handsome  plate  of  Madeline  C.  Chevalier,  which  is, 
were  it  needed,  but  added  proof  of  the  charm  of 
the  drawing. 

Other  makers  of  plates  there  are  in  great  pro- 
fusion, but  those  which  are  here  mentioned  are  the 
recognized  leaders,  and  in  the  number  of  their  plates 
will  be  found  many  more  interesting  examples  than 
in  the  works  of  all  the  others  combined. 


America 

This  is  Hannah  Moxon  Her  book 

You  may  just  within  it  Look 

You  had  better  not  do  more 

For  old  black  Satan's  at  the  Door 

And  will  snatch  at  stealing  hands 

Look  behind  you  !     There  He  stands. 

(/«  an  old  New  England  book.^ 


))i,(rTcvc     TOO   A  u  V  L  oo   hcli 
-fx.fj.circ    ruj     TToiruj     aoc.'''' 


I  xi^3 


IV 

AMERICA 

A  GLANCE  at  a  good  collection  of  early 
American  book-plates  shows,  to  one  some- 
what familiar  with  the  history  of  our 
country,  the  names  of  many  famous 
families  and  distinguished  individuals.  The  num- 
ber of  known  and  listed  plates  of  the  colonial 
and  early  statehood  periods  is  now  well  over  one 
thousand,  and  as  the  researches  of  the  ardent  col- 
lector are  further  and  further  extended,  it  may  well 
be  that  this  number  will  constantly  increase.  To 
turn  the  pages  of  the  album  holding  these  memorials 
of  a  time  not  so  very  far  back  in  history  is  to  recall 
to  the  mind  the  conditions  of  life  in  those  days,  the 
ways  and  means  employed  by  our  ancestors  in  their 
domestic  economy,  the  amusements  which  were  per- 
mitted, the  manners  and  customs  which  obtained, 
and  the  quiet  serenity  with  which  for  long  periods 
in  many  sections  of  the  country  these  worthies 
could  look  out  upon  life,  enjoy  its  quiet  blessings, 
and  cultivate  their  simple  tastes.  Political  and 
religious  history,  with  its  strife  and  woe,  as  well  as 
the  quieter  sort  of  the  home  and  the  plantation,  is 
vividly  recalled  as  one  turns  from  one  plate  to 
another,   remembering  the  story  of  the  life  of  its 

87 


88  Ex   Libris 

original  owner,  the  progress  of  events  around  him, 
the  persons  he  came  in  contact  with,  and  the  posi- 
tion he  took  in  different  scenes  which  were  epoch- 
making. 

Here,  for  instance,  as  one  turns  the  page,  comes 
into  view  the  plate  of  George  Washington,  and 
what  memories  it  stirs  !  There  rises  before  the 
mind  the  picture  of  the  intrepid  young  Virginian 
surveyor,  the  General  of  the  army,  the  first  Presi- 
dent. The  career  of  this  truly  great  man  is 
brought  to  mind,  and  many  stories  about  him  will 
quicken  into  life.  If  Napoleon  was  the  Man  of 
Fate,  Washington  was  the  Man  of  Providence. 
To  hold  in  the  hand  a  book  once  the  property 
of  General  Washington,  having  the  well-known 
signature  in  its  accustomed  place  at  the  right-hand 
upper  corner  of  the  title-page,  and  the  book-plate 
pasted  within  the  front  cover,  is  for  the  book-lover, 
to  gain  a  double  sensation  of  delight,  a  double  thrill 
of  pleasure. 

The  plate  is  one  which  of  itself  would  not  at- 
tract attention,  being  merely  a  modest  design  in  the 
prevailing  style,  and  bearing  no  ornamentation  be- 
yond what  is  common  to  thousands  of  others. 
This  is  true  of  the  book-plates  of  many  famous 
men.  It  is  not  the  plate  itself,  it  is  its  association 
which  endears  it,  which  makes  it  of  value  and  im- 
portance to  the  collector.  The  plate  was  engraved 
in  England,  probably  between  the  years  1765  and 
1775.  It  has  been  counterfeited,  so  that  the  col- 
lector has  need  of  caution  in  accepting  what  may  be 
offered  as  the  genuine  plate.  The  plate  is  so  im- 
portant, and  the  location  of  the  volumes  from  Gen- 


America  89 

eral  Washington's  library  is  so  well  known,  that 
should  a  copy  come  into  the  market  it  would  cause 
something  of  a  sensation  among  collectors,  and  it  is 
quite  likely  that  if  sold  in  open  auction,  and  un- 
doubtedly genuine,  it  would  bring  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. As  one  strolls  over  the  grounds  at  Mount 
Vernon,  or  walks  through  the  house  which  once  saw 
the  state  in  which  the  rich  Virginian  lived,  which 
witnessed  elaborate  dinners  served  to  foreign  digni- 
taries, which  covered  with  its  protecting  roof  many 
a  party  in  which  vivacious  maidens  and  courtly 
youths  were  present  in  the  splendid  attire  of  the 
period,  and  during  all  which  occasions  of  pleasant 
intercourse  the  library  must  have  been  sought  by 
some  at  least,  he  peoples  the  place  with  these  by- 
gone faces  and  forms,  hears  again  the  sound  of 
merrymaking,  sees  the  impressive  person  of  the 
President,  and  lingers  in  fancy  over  these  scenes  with 
delight  unspeakable.  But  the  book-plate  awakens 
these  memories  as  readily,  and  one  sees  the  shelves 
on  which  the  books  rested,  witnesses  the  entrance 
of  some  seclusion-seeking  couple,  who,  to  escape 
from  the  light  and  the  immediate  presence  of  com- 
pany, have  stolen  into  the  dark  library  now  lighted 
only  by  the  moon.  With  these  rows  of  calf-bound 
utterances  for  background,  with  the  sound  of  the 
distant  dance  and  viol,  not  too  strongly  borne  in, 
and  with  the  weird  light  of  the  moon  falling  upon 
objects  not  well  known,  how  delicious  the  moment, 
how  favorable  the  opportunity  for  confidences  !  'Tis 
thus  with  books.  They  have  that  about  them 
which  begets  confidences. 

Somewhat  similar  to  the  plate  of  General  Wash- 


go  Ex   Libris 

ington  is  that  of  his  nephew,  Judge  Bushrod 
Washington,  to  whom  the  estate  of  Mount  Vernon 
was  left.  A  trifle  later,  one  would  say,  in  execution, 
it  is  still  Chippendale  in  treatment,  with  ornamenta- 
tion of  a  more  pretentious  character  than  is  seen 
upon  the  other.  A  fork-tailed  griffin  with  barbed 
tongue  guards  the  upper  side  with  fierce  and  threat- 
ening mien,  while  roses  entwine  the  carved  wood- 
work of  the  frame.  The  library  which  this  plate 
graced  must  have  been  principally  of  books  of  law, 
—  solid  and  necessary,  yet  a  bit  too  heavy  and  pon- 
derous for  so  dainty  a  plate  to  ornament. 

There  were  other  Virginia  gentlemen  who  had 
libraries  in  which  they  used  book-plates,  and  as 
their  names  will  bring  many  historical  facts  to  mind 
connected  closely  or  remotely,  as  the  case  may  be, 
with  General  Washington,  and  the  events  with 
which  he  was  concerned,  we  will  mention  here  a  few 
of  them.  Of  the  Fairfax  family  we  know  the  plate 
of  Bryan,  the  eighth  and  last  baron,  between  whom 
and  Washington  there  existed  a  close  affection,  in 
spite  of  the  loyalty  of  the  latter  to  England.  The 
family  motto.  Fare  fac^  is  given  on  the  plate.  This, 
too,  is  of  English  make,  and  it  may  well  be  that  the 
plate  of  Washington  was  ordered  from  England  along 
with  this  or  with  that  of  his  closer  friend,  George 
William,  who  undoubtedly  had  such  a  popular  and 
convenient  possession,  even  if  it  be  unknown  to-day. 
Then  there  were  the  Randolphs,  —  Peyton,  first 
President  of  Congress,  and  after  him  John  of  Roa- 
noke, whose  fiery  tongue  made  friends  of  foes  and  foes 
of  friends,  and  whose  will,  it  must  be  remembered, 
manumitted  some  three  hundred  slaves.     William 


America  91 

Stith,  brother-in-law  of  Peyton,  who  was  President 
of  WilHam  and  Mary  College,  and  who  wrote  a  his- 
tory of  Virginia,  and  John  Marshall,  of  whose 
talents  Washington  thought  so  much,  who  became 
Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States,  and  who  wrote 
so  memorable  a  life  of  his  friend,  were  among  those 
who  used  the  armorial  book-plate  in  their  books. 

George  Washington  Parke  Custis,  the  last  of  the 
General's  family,  used  a  plate  in  which  the  engraver 
unfortunately  omitted  the  final  e  from  his  third 
name.  Other  names  which  should  be  recorded  here 
as  of  those  linked  in  one  way  or  another  with  the 
history  of  the  state  are  as  follows  :  Archer,  Armis- 
tead,  Beverly,  Boiling  (descendants  of  Pocahontas), 
Cabell,  Cary,  Dove,  and  Fitzhugh. 

Two  governors  of  the  old  colony  figure  in  the 
book-plate  collector's  album  :  Francis  Fauquier,  who 
immediately  succeeded  Dinwiddle  and  whose  plate 
is  a  neatly  engraved  Chippendale  design,  and  before 
him  John  Murray,  Earl  of  Dunmore,  descendant  of 
the  house  of  Stuart,  whose  attitude  towards  the 
colonists  was  insufferable.  One  thinks  of  him  with 
satisfaction  as  he  flees  to  his  ships  after  exciting  the 
populace ;  but  with  extreme  disgust  as  he  burns  the 
city  of  Norfolk,  and  carries  on  his  predatory  war- 
fare. It  was  really  a  handsome  bit  of  designing 
he  used  in  his  books,  with  all  its  marks  of  aristoc- 
racy, with  the  supporters  and  the  crown  of  an 
English  earl. 

Lee,  Lightfoot,  Ludwell,  McKenzie,  Mackay, 
Mercer,  Murray,  Page,  Parke,  Power,  Skipwith, 
Spotswood,  Turberville,  Tucker,  Waller,  Wormeley 
of   Rosegill,  and  Wythe  are  names   among  which 


92 


Ex    Libris 


students  of  history  will  find  many  that  have  been 
raised  to  places  of  eminence  in  the  state  of  Virginia 
by  the  representatives  of  these  families,  who  were 
distinguished  in  various  professions  and  prominent 
in  varying  circumstances.  Old  Colonel  Byrd,  who 
was  such  a  patron  of  arts,  science,  and  literature  in 
Virginia,  used  a  very  interesting  book-plate,  and,  as 
one  notices  the  air  of  grandeur  and  hospitality  worn 
by  his  spacious  house,  he  feels  that  the  books  were 
well  housed  and  often  read.  Indeed,  evidence  of 
this,  and  of  many  a  quiet  yet  important  conference 
in  the  library  at  Westover,  can  be  found. 

Other  plates  there  were  in  the  mansions  of  old 
Virginia,  —  plates  which  the  collector  would  gladly 
possess,  but  which  are  beyond  the  reach  of  his  pre- 
serving hand.  To  consider  those  large  estates,  v»^ith 
their  substantial  manor-houses,  their  immense  parks, 
their  elegance  of  furnishing  and  ornamentation,  to 
see  the  shining  plate,  the  retinue  of  servants,  the 
silks  and  taffetas  imported  from  London,  and  the 
fields  of  tobacco  which  supported  this  luxury,  is  to 
be  assured  that  life  in  the  new  country  was  not 
wholly  lacking  in  those  enjoyments  which  the  socially 
inclined  find  need  of,  or  the  opportunity  for  retire- 
ment and  study  which  some  among  the  number  of 
the  household  were  likely  to  care  for. 

But  not  all  the  fine  houses  were  in  Virginia. 
Maryland,  New  Jersey,  the  Carolinas,  Delaware, 
Kentucky,  and  Georgia  had  their  wealthy  families 
as,  of  course,  had  the  more  northern  states.  Among 
the  interesting  plates  of  Maryland  are  those  of  John 
Leeds  Bozman,  the  historian  ;  the  Hon,  William 
Carmichael,  who  was  born  in  the  state,  and  who  was 


America  93 

a  delegate  to  Congress,  1778-1780;  Charles  Carroll, 
of  Carrollton,  who  signed  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of 
his  identity  ;  Samuel  Chase,  another  signer  of  that 
immortal  document ;  General  Forman,  whose  estate 
"  Rose  Hill "  was  so  delightful  a  spot ;  and  An- 
thony Stewart,  of  Annapolis,  whose  plate  was  one 
of  the  handsomest  of  any  used  at  that  time.  Others 
there  were  of  the  families  of  Calvert,  Chalmers, 
Duvall,  Kerr,  McTavish,  Maxcy,  and  Sprigg,  who 
used  book-plates  which  are  to-day  prized  by  the 
collector. 

Over  in  Delaware  the  plates  of  the  Bayards  and 
the  Fishers  were  good  of  their  kind,  and  are  now 
among  the  desiderata.  In  New  Jersey  was  that  in- 
trepid soldier.  Major  Joseph  Bloomfield,  who  fought 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  and  was  Governor  of 
his  state,  an  officer  in  the  War  of  18 12,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress  after  that.  David  Brearly  was 
another  soldier  of  the  Revolution  from  this  state, 
and  he  used  a  plate  which  is  thought  to  have  been 
engraved  by  Vallance,  an  engraver  who  was  associ- 
ated with  Thackara,  in  making  plates  for  Dobson's 
Encyclopedia.  Of  others  who  in  this  state  used 
plates  which  are  prized  to-day,  should  be  mentioned 
William  Edgar,  Peter  Kemble,  Charles  Read,  Rich- 
ard Stockton,  signer  of  the  Declaration,  Lieutenant 
Trenchard  of  the  navy,  and  the  Hon.  Joshua  Maddox 
Wallace  of  Burlington. 

In  North  Carolina  the  plates  of  Isaac  Edwards, 
William  Hooper,  signer  of  the  Declaration,  Colonel 
Innes,  James  Iredell,  the  jurist,  and  the  plate  of  the 
University  of  North  Carolina,  are  among  the  few 


94  Ex   Libris 

which  have  been  discovered  to  swell  the  collector's 
list. 

The  South  Carolina  list  is  much  longer,  and 
includes  such  names  as  Richard  Beresford  ;  Jacob 
Drayton  ;  John  Walters  Gibbs  ;  Thomas  Hall,  first 
postmaster  under  Washington,  in  Charleston  ;  Isaac 
Hayne,  the  patriot,  who  was  hanged  by  the  British 
in  the  same  city  in  178 1  ;  Thomas  Hayward,  a 
signer  of  the  Declaration;  Alexander  Inglis,  who 
employed  a  poor  engraver  and  one  who  little  under- 
stood heraldry  ;  Robert  Johnston  of  Turkey  Island  ; 
Peter  Manigault,  who  studied  law  at  the  Inner 
Temple,  and  whose  very  beautiful  book-plate  was 
engraved  in  London  in  the  year  1754;  John  Izard 
Middleton,  second  son  of  Arthur  Middleton,  the 
signer  of  the  Declaration,  born  at  Middleton-Place- 
on-the-Ashley,  and  who  was  himself  an  author  of 
no  mean  abilities,  and  who  spent  the  last  twenty- 
five  years  of  his  life  in  Paris,  where  he  was  an 
intimate  friend  of  Mesdames  De  Stael  and  Recamier  ; 
Thomas  Pownall,  who  was  Governor  not  only  of 
this  state,  but  also  and  previously  of  New  Jersey 
and  Massachusetts,  and  who,  after  returning  to 
England,  entered  Parliament ;  Thomas  Shubrick, 
Colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  War  ;  Thomas  Waties, 
an  eminent  judge  ;  and  Dr.  J.  B.  Whitridge,  whose 
emblem  of  Hope  makes  a  very  pretty  plate,  as  well 
as  an  appropriate  one,  for  a  physician. 

An  interesting  plate  from  Georgia  is  that  of  James 
Wright,  Esq.,  the  last  Royal  Governor  of  the  colony, 
he  who  was  such  an  able  executive,  but  whose  loyalty 
to  the  king  cost  him  his  liberty  for  a  time,  and 
finally  the  confiscation  of  his  estates. 


America  95 

One  of  the  early  American  plates  around  which 
historical  memories  gather  is  that  of  William  Penn^ 
Esq.,  Proprietor  of  Pennsylvania,  as  the  name  and 
address  appear  upon  the  plate  itself.  This  plate 
shows  the  arms  of  the  Penn  family,  one  of  dis- 
tinction in  England,  with  the  motto,  Dum  clarum 
rectum  teneam,  "  May  I  keep  the  line  of  right  as 
well  as  of  glory."  There  have  been  a  number  of 
books  in  auction  sales  within  a  few  years  having 
this  plate  in  them  ;  and  as  there  is  some  reason  to 
doubt  the  authenticity  of  many  of  these,  the  col- 
lector is  warned  to  be  careful  lest  he  purchase  what 
may  prove  a  disappointment  instead  of  a  treasure. 
While  it  is  not  probable  that  the  Penn  plate  was 
ever  forged  in  the  manner  of  the  George  Washing- 
ton plate,  it  is  possible  that  an  engraver  took  some 
prints  from  the  old  copper,  before  altering  it  to  suit 
the  needs  of  Thomas  Penn  (as  was  done),  and  that 
the  prints  thus  produced  are  about.  Or  it  may 
be  that  a  second  plate  will  some  day  come  to  light. 
Certainly,  the  incentive  to  forgery  to  the  extent  of 
so  careful  a  reproduction  on  copper  of  the  really 
genuine  design  as  this  supposed  fraudulent  plate  is, 
is  too  little  to  admit  of  the  theory.  There  is  no 
demand  for  the  books  of  Penn  as  there  is  for  those 
of  Washington  ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  Washington 
forgery,  the  plate  from  which  the  deceptive  prints 
were  made  was  not  a  careful  reproduction,  although 
those  who  purposed  using  it  may  well  have  wished 
it  to  be  such.  The  two  Penn  plates  coincide  exactly 
in  so  many  particulars  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  their 
being  printed  from  the  same  copper.  Some  re- 
touching  the   plate   had,  of  course,  to  account  for 


96  Ex  Libris 

the  very  slight  differences ;  but  that  there  was  ever 
a  deHberate  purpose  to  forge  the  plate  of  William 
Penn  seems  quite  improbable.  There  is,  in  the 
rooms  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society  in 
the  city  of  Philadelphia,  the  Bible  used  by  Han- 
nah Callowhill  Penn,  the  second  wife  of  William 
Penn ;  and  the  plate,  undoubtedly  genuine,  is 
pasted  within  its  cover.  When  the  plate  was 
made  over  for  Thomas  Penn,  he  was  styled  First 
Proprietor  of  Pensilvania^  which  title  seems  hardly 
justifiable,  and  the  spelling  of  the  last  word  rather 
bungling. 

Among  the  most  famous  men  of  his  times  was 
Dr.  Benjamin  Rush,  who  was  born  on  the  banks 
of  Poquestion  Creek,  not  far  from  Philadelphia, 
and  who  rose  to  a  distinguished  position  in  his 
native  land,  and  received  substantial  proof  from 
foreign  lands  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  there 
held.  Successful  in  his  profession,  he  was  attacked 
by  enemies,  who  suffered  the  defeat  they  merited. 
It  is  said  that  during  a  scourge  of  yellow  fever  he 
saved  not  less  than  six  thousand  persons  from  death. 
His  position  in  the  government  of  the  state  and  the 
nation  was  conspicuous.  He  was  a  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  His  plate  still  exists, 
but  in  poor  condition  and  in  a  very  limited  number  ; 
it  is  supposed  because  he  destroyed  all  copies  of  it 
he  could  lay  his  hands  on.  The  exact  reason  for 
this  is  not  known  ;  but  it  will  be  surmised  that  it 
was  due  to  his  intense  patriotism  during  the  events 
of  1875  ^'"^^  1876,  when  so  much  feeling  against 
the  British  was  shown  in  his  city,  and  when,  to  him, 
the  use,  even  within  the  covers  of  his  own  books, 


America  97 

of  armorial  bearings  granted  by  England,  may  have 
been  distasteful. 

Another  doctor  of  medicine  whose  useful  life 
added  to  the  fame  of  his  native  city  was  John 
Morgan,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society,  a  strong  patriot  and  a  physi- 
cian of  an  uncommon  education  and  experience. 
He  used  a  book-plate  of  the  Chippendale  style, 
which,  from  its  appearance,  one  is  inclined  to  think 
was  engraved  by  Henry  Dawkins.  Dr.  Morgan 
married  the  beautiful  Mary  Hopkinson,  and  has 
left  a  letter  in  which  he  speaks  most  courteously  of 
her.  It  is  written  to  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Morgan, 
and  in  the  letter  the  doctor  says  :  — 

"She  is  an  excellent  companion  at  all  times,  but  if 
possible  excels  herself  on  the  road.  It  would  delight  you 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  us  just  now,  Colonel  Kirkbride  at  the 
violin  and  she  at  the  harpsichord  and  sings  most  blithely 
and  most  sweetly." 

That  good  old  Dr.  James  Abercrombie,  of  Phila- 
delphia, who  was  the  rector  of  two  important 
churches  in  the  city,  Christ  and  St.  Peter's,  is  the 
subject  of  a  story  which  shows  him  to  have  loved 
the  good  things  supplied  in  this  world,  while  travel- 
ling through  it  to  a  higher.  The  story,  as  told  by 
Mr.  George  Ord,  a  raconteur  of  no  small  ability, 
was  to  the  effect  that,  having  occasion  to  visit  a 
small  town  in  New  Jersey,  the  good  doctor  was 
cheered  with  some  choice  old  Madeira  wine,  which 
not  expecting  to  find  in  that  sparse  country,  he  was 
mightily  pleased.  His  appropriate  text  for  the 
sermon    of  the  following    Sabbath   was   from    that 


98  Ex  Libris 

verse  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  in  which  it  is 
recorded  that  "  the  barbarous  people  showed  us  no 
little  kindness."  In  his  books,  this  genial  soul  pasted 
a  book-plate  on  which  was  the  motto,  Vive  ut  vivas, 
the  spirit  of  which  may  be  variously  understood. 

Francis  Hopkinson,  skilled  in  an  astonishing 
number  of  accomplishments,  a  wit  of  no  mean 
order,  able  to  make  music,  to  paint,  to  compose 
popular  airs,  and  to  discuss  the  weighty  affairs  of 
government,  the  latest  developments  in  science,  or 
the  intricacies  of  politics,  used  a  very  delightful 
book-plate,  the  design  of  which  is  very  similar  to 
that  of  Bushrod  Washington.  It  has  the  same 
horrid  griffin  hissing  from  behind  the  roses,  and  the 
same  arrangement  of  flowers  and  ornamentation  is 
observed.  This  plate  was  done  by  Dawkins,  that 
scamp  of  tried  ability  whose  very  talent  landed  him  in 
prison,  and  from  which  his  wit  likely  enough  released 
him.  John  Adams  liked  Francis  Hopkinson,  but 
he  left  a  saying  about  the  latter's  head  which  cannot 
be  forgotten.  He  declared  it  was  not  larger  than  a 
good-sized  apple  !  He  was  a  member  of  the  Philo- 
sophical Society,  married  Ann  Borden,  and  w'as,  of 
course,  prominent  in  all  the  social  gatherings  of  the 
day.  One  little  adventure  is  worthy  of  record.  He 
was  one  of  the  three  young  men  who,  by  means  of  a 
rope  ladder,  released  pretty  Miss  Shewell  from  the 
high  room  her  brother  had  confined  her  in  to  pre- 
vent her  taking  the  ship  which  would  carry  her  to 
London  to  be  the  wife  of  the  painter  Benjamin 
West.  Fate  was  against  the  brother,  and  the  wed- 
ding took  place  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Martin's-in-the- 
Fields. 


America  99 

Joseph  Hopkinson,  who  wrote  Hail  Columbia^ 
and  who  was  the  son  of  Francis,  used  the  same 
copper  that  his  father  before  him  had  used,  only- 
having  the  first  name  erased  and  his  own  substi- 
tuted. The  work  was  entrusted  to  a  poor  engraver, 
for  the  name  Francis  can  be  plainly  seen  under  the 
Joseph,  even  in  the  prints. 

The  only  armorial  book-plate  of  the  early  days 
known  to  have  been  used  by  a  lady,  was  used  by 
Elizabeth  Graeme,  daughter  of  Dr.  Thomas  Grasme, 
whose  lovely  estate,  "  Graeme  Park,"  situated  a  score 
of  miles  from  Philadelphia,  was  a  very  favorite  meet- 
ing-place of  the  cultured  people  to  whom  its  hospi- 
tality was  warmly  extended.  Miss  Graeme  was  quite 
literary  in  her  tastes,  and  among  her  accomplishments 
was  the  translation  of  'Telemachus  into  English,  the 
writing  of  many  original  poems  and  no  small  amount 
of  prose  which,  according  to  the  judgment  of  Dr. 
Rush,  showed  "  strong  marks  of  genius,  taste,  and 
knowledge."  She  married  Hugh  Fergusson,  the 
British  Commissioner  of  Prisoners,  which  union 
seems,  unfortunately,  not  to  have  brought  her  much 
happiness,  so  that  she  occupied  herself  much  with 
those  literary  occupations  she  loved  so  well. 

Conspicuous  among  the  early  Pennsylvanians  and 
coming  to  be  known  as  the  greatest  of  American 
botanists,  was  John  Bartram,  whose  fine  gardens  were 
planted  near  to  Gray's  Ferry.  In  this  delightful 
spot  was  that  study  over  the  window  of  which  those 
two  lines  were  painted  which  testified  to  his  faith  in 
the  Almighty.  The  books  in  this  little  secluded 
spot  were  marked  with  an  armorial  book-plate  of  the 
Chippendale  style  of  ornamentation,  which  bore  the 


lOO  Ex  Libris 

mottoes  Foy  en  Dieu  and  J'avance.  The  home  of 
Bartram,  which  was  near  to  "Woodlands,"  the  resi- 
dence of  -Alexander  Hamilton,  still  stands  sur- 
rounded by  some  of  the  trees  beneath  which  Jefferson 
and  Adams,  Wistar,  Rush,  and  Rittenhouse  have 
reclined  and  conversed  with  the  royal  botanist. 

Elias  Boudinot  (the  wealthy  and  studious  Presi- 
dent of  Congress  who  was  a  bit  surprised  at  the 
dance  which  he  saw  at  the  Macomb  House  in  New 
York,  upon  the  occasion  devised  by  the  Comte  de 
Moustier  in  1778,  to  celebrate  the  French  alliance) 
used  in  his  books  a  simple  but  well-engraved  plate, 
the  work  of  Maverick,  the  famous  New  York  en- 
graver, who  came  to  America  from  his  native  land 
just  before  the  Declaration  of  Independence  sepa- 
rated the  tv/o  countries  forever. 

Those  old  dwellers  in  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love, 
Quakers  though  many  of  them  were,  and  so,  to  our 
thinking,  of  necessity  somewhat  distant  toward  gaie- 
ties of  the  "  world  outside,"  had  their  good  times, 
lived  upon  fine  estates,  and  enjoyed  life  as  fully  as 
did  their  far-away  neighbors  at  the  lower  end  of 
Manhattan  Island.  There  was  old  Isaac  Norris,  who 
directed  the  placing  of  the  motto  upon  the  Liberty 
Bell.  He  was  a  Quaker,  and  he  lived  in  a  delight- 
ful old  home  going  by  the  name  of  "  Fair  Hill," 
which  lay  between  Philadelphia  and  Germantown. 
A  student  he  was  by  nature,  and  he  gathered  a  good- 
sized  library  in  which  he  pasted  a  neat  but  small 
book-plate  bearing  heraldic  devices.  Ultimately  his 
books  went  to  Dickinson  College  in  the  city  of 
Carlisle,  Penn. 

When  General  Washington  came   to  the  city  of 


America  loi 

Philadelphia  in  1790,  the  house  of  Robert  Morris 
was  considered  the  fittest  for  his  use  within  the  city, 
and  so  it  was  placed  at  his  disposal.  It  is  related 
that  the  house  of  the  Morris  family  had  more  of  the 
luxuries  than  had  any  other  house  in  America.  In- 
deed, in  all  the  appointments  of  his  estate,  even  to 
his  equipage,  this  brilliant  financier  and  statesman 
was  fond  of  the  best  and  had  it ;  and  yet  in  his  old 
age  he  was  imprisoned  for  debt.  There  is  a  small 
and  exceedingly  interesting  book-plate  which  bears 
the  inscription  Rob.  et.  Tho.  Morris  fratres,  Phila- 
delphiciy  which  has  rather  recently  come  to  light, 
and  which  is  regarded  by  collectors  as  of  the  high- 
est interest  on  account  of  the  position  of  its  owners, 
as  well  as  by  reason  of  the  unique  manner  of  record- 
ing the  fact  of  common  ownership  in  the  books  the 
plates  were  destined  for.  It  was  Robert  Morris  who 
persuaded  old  Mr.  Head,  the  Quaker,  whose  con- 
science would  not  let  him  do  anything  active  towards 
the  support  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  to  pass 
into  an  adjoining  room  while  he,  Morris,  left  alone 
with  key  to  the  strong  box,  should  take  from  it 
such  an  amount  as  was  needed  at  the  moment. 
Then,  too,  it  was  at  the  elegant  home  of  Robert 
Morris  that  the  Prince  de  Broglie  drank  twelve 
consecutive  cups  of  tea,  not  knowing  how  to  refuse 
the  different  ladies  who  offered  him  the  thin  bev- 
erage! Books  there  must  have  been  in  plenty 
among  the  furnishings  of  this  attractive  house  whose 
very  hospitality  had  that  quality  of  abundance  which 
is  well-nigh  a  luxury.  The  kindly  and  earnest  face 
of  Mr.  Morris  is  well  known  from  his  portraits,  and 
one  can  easily  picture  him  in  his  elegant  home  en- 


I02  Ex   Libris 

tertaining  the  President,  always  an  imposing  figure, 
with  round  them  a  little  company  of  delegates  and 
men  of  affairs. 

Edward  Shippen,  a  descendant  of  the  first  mayor 
of  Philadelphia  and  the  father  of  the  Misses  Ship- 
pen,  who  were  quite  the  gayest  of  the  gay  young 
ladies  of  the  "  Neschianza,"  used  the  old  book-plate 
which  his  father  before  him  had  used  in  England. 
This  plate  belongs  to  a  style  not  used  very  much  in 
America,  in  which  the  shield  of  arms  is  surrounded 
with  elaborate  mantling. 

Among  others  who  used  book-plates  and  who 
made  for  themselves  a  name  in  the  affairs  of  Penn- 
sylvania were  William  Augustus  Atlee;  Dr.  John 
Beatty;  Robert  Aitkin,  who  printed  the  early  and 
historic  American  edition  of  the  Bible ;  Bancker, 
the  merchant,  who  instead  of  the  arms  used  his  old 
"  merchant-mark,"  a  figure  4,  upon  the  shield  of  his 
book-plate;  Albert  Gallatin,  who  rejected  the  family 
motto,  and  adopted  for  himself  the  one  word  Perse- 
vere; William  Hamilton,  who  became  the  owner  of 
the  fine  estate  "  Woodlands,"  which  is  now  the 
Woodland  Cemetery  of  Philadelphia ;  old  William 
Keith,  the  Governor  of  the  colony  in  the  early  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  who  was  so  "  desper- 
ate an  intriguer";  Lynford  Lardner,  grandson  of 
the  Councillor  ;  Morgan  Lewis,  who  was  on  the  staff 
of  General  Gates ;  Joseph  Priestlev,  theologian, 
chemist,  and  philosopher ;  Sir  John  St.  Clair,  a 
British  soldier  associated  with  Braddock,  but  who 
had  a  book-plate  engraved  by  Turner ;  and  Joseph 
Wood,  a  colonel  in  the  revolutionary  army. 

Another    Pennsylvanian    of  distinguished    name 


America  103 

was  James  Logan,  founder  of  the  Loganian  Library 
in  Philadelphia,  and  who  was  first  persuaded  to 
come  to  the  colony  by  his  friend,  William  Penn. 
His  plate  was  made  in  England,  and  is  a  very 
graceful  design,  of  the  Chippendale  style.  Mr. 
Logan  was  strict  in  some  of  his  ideas,  agreeing  with 
Penn  as  to  simplicity  in  religious  forms  and  cus- 
toms. He  was  a  friend  to  the  Indian,  was  promi- 
nent in  the  government  of  the  colony,  and  was 
possessed  of  uncommon  abiliiiy  united  to  great 
wisdom  and  a  singularly  dignified  disposition.  He 
had  a  charming  seat,  "  Stenton,"  to  which  the 
Indians  came  in  such  numbers  that  they  were 
encamped  upon  its  spacious  lawns  a  good  share  of 
the  time,  and  he  had  a  goodly  collection  of  books 
in  his  comfortable  library.  He  left  about  two 
thousand  volumes  of  a  valuable  character,  for  the 
use  of  the  public.  This  bequest  was  the  beginning 
of  the  library  which  bears  his  name. 

Early  in  the  present  century,  Henry  Troth  came 
to  Philadelphia,  and  engaged  in  the  drug  business. 
He  was  a  man  of  enterprise,  forethought,  and  execu- 
tive ability  ;  and  it  is  owing  to  his  efforts  that  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy  was  established. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Orthodox  branch  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  and  was  active  in  numerous 
charities,  as  well  as  prominent  in  the  advancement 
of  scientific  researches.  During  the  first  quarter 
of  the  present  century,  his  book-plate  was  engraved 
by  Samuel  Tiller,  an  engraver  of  whom  little  is 
known,  the  design  being  Mr.  Troth's  own.  It  is 
a  library  interior,  and  represents  the  student  in  his 
book-room,  deep  in  thought.      In  its  use  of  serious 


I04  Ex   Libris 

reflections  as  a  motto,  it  resembles  the  Village 
Library  plate  (Farmington,  Conn.),  but  it  is  said 
that  the  line  of  thought  they  indicate  is  a  correct 
reflection  of  the  habitual  attitude  of  the  owner's 
mind.  The  plate  is  one  of  uncommon  beauty,  and 
the  collector  will  regret  the  meagreness  of  informa- 
tion concerning  its  engraver.  Tiller  was  in  part- 
nership with  a  man  named  Winship  in  1832;  and 
in  that  year  they  engraved  a  portrait  of  Washington, 
and  some  bits  of  ornamentation  for  use  on  a  silk 
badge  commemorating  the  celebration  in  honor  of 
the  centennial  anniversary  of  Washington's  birth. 
Subsequently,  he  was  in  business  with  his  own 
brother,  and  finally  dropped  out  of  sight  in  Mexico. 
His  work  is  so  good  that  one  hopes  other  book- 
plates by  him  will  come  to  sight. 

Among  other  interesting  plates  which  are  worthy 
the  attention  of  the  collector  are  those  of  the  Ap- 
prentices' Library,  the  Carpenters'  Companv,  and 
the  Library  Company,  all  of  them  numbering 
among  the  early  semi-public  libraries  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  and  each  of  them  having  an  interesting 
history. 

In  the  city  of  New  York,  during  the  last  quarter 
of  the  last  century,  lived  and  worked  the  famous 
engraver,  Peter  Rushton  Maverick ;  and  to  his 
skill  in  the  art  of  engraving  on  copper  must  be  laid, 
to  a  considerable  degree,  the  large  number  of  book- 
plates which  that  period  of  the  history  of  the  city 
reveals.  He  was  a  rapid  worker  and  a  skilful.  It 
seems  to  have  been  quite  the  thing  to  have  a  book- 
plate by  Maverick ;  and  so  the  richest  of  the  city's 
citizens  employed  him  ;  and,  not  to  be  outdone  by 


America  105 

those  above  them  in  social  grade,  some  of  those 
whom  fortune  had  not  so  plentifully  blessed  used 
plates  by  this  noted  copper-plate  engraver.  Among 
these  was  a  very  popular  hairdresser. 

The  richest  man  in  the  colony  of  New  York  was 
Frederick  Phillipse,  who  carried  on  so  profitable  a 
trade  with  the  Five  Nations,  and  whose  ships  sailed 
to  the  East  as  well  as  the  West  Indies.  Perhaps 
his  wealth  was  in  some  measure  due  to  the  fortune 
his  wife  must  have  had ;  for  she,  who  had  been  the 
widow  of  the  rich  trader,  Rudolphus  de  Vries,  had, 
during  the  period  of  her  widowhood,  carried  on  with 
considerable  sagacity  the  business  her  late  husband 
had  built  up.  Just  how  much  Mr.  Phillipse  in- 
clined to  books,  we  do  not  really  know ;  but  he  had 
a  book-plate  of  an  early  style  of  ornamentation.  It 
was  his  daughter  Mary  who,  tradition  says,  had  the 
honor  of  being  an  early  love  of  George  Washington, 
and  it  v/as  at  the  old  Phillipse  Manor  that  these 
two  met.  In  this  interesting  spot  the  family  for 
many  years  exercised  jurisdiction  over  immense 
estates  lying  in  three  counties.  They  were  known 
among  their  tenants  as  the  Junkers  (pronounced  as 
if  spelt  Yonkers),  and  around  their  homestead  grew 
up  the  village  now  going  by  the  name  of  Yonkers. 
But  the  charming  Mary  finally  married  Colonel 
Roger  Morris,  who  built  a  noble  house  on  the  banks 
of  the  Harlem  River,  which  has  passed  through 
many  hands  and  has  had  several  names,  and  which 
still  stands  upon  its  wooded  height.  Long  known 
as  the  Roger  Morris  house,  it  passed,  after  the 
war  of  the  Revolution,  into  various  hands,  before  it 
was  bought  by  Stephen  Jumel,  and  was  known  as 


io6  Ex   Libris 

the  Jumel  Mansion.  At  the  age  of  seventy-eight, 
the  still  gallant  Aaron  Burr  married  the  widow 
of  the  French  wine-merchant,  when  the  place  be- 
came known  as  the  residence  of  Aaron  Burr ;  and, 
as  is  well  known,  it  was  not  very  far  from  its  site 
that  Alexander  Hamilton  received  his  fatal  wound. 
This  house  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  New 
York  history,  and  its  appearance  has  been  preserved 
by  the  Society  of  Iconophiles,  of  New  York,  in  an 
excellent  engraving  by  Edwin  D.  French.  Colonel 
Morris  used  an  interesting  book-plate  of  the  popu- 
lar Chippendale  pattern  ;  and  so  did  Lewis  Morris, 
brother  of  Gouverneur,  whose  fine  estates  were 
destroyed  by  the  British.  The  great  estate  of 
Morrisania,  in  Westchester  County,  was  founded 
by  an  ancestor  of  these  patriots  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  Another  daughter  of  Frederick  Phillipse 
married  the  dashing  Colonel  Beverly  Robinson,  who 
was  so  stanch  a  loyalist,  and  whose  estate  was  the 
headquarters  of  Arnold  while  negotiating  with  the 
British  officers  in  the  matter  of  his  contemplated 
treason.  Colonel  Robinson  had  a  son  of  the  same 
name,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  English  army ;  and 
this  family  was  one  of  the  largest  losers  by  reason 
of  its  loyalty.  The  book-plate  bearing  the  name  of 
Beverly  Robinson  was  probably  used  by  the  son. 

Old  Cadwallader  Colden,  the  friend  of  Benjamin 
Franklin  (and  what  a  pity  no  plate  of  the  latter 
has  ever  been  discovered),  was  a  man  of  powerful 
intellect,  from  whom  his  son,  Cadwallader  David, 
must  have  inherited  no  little  ability.  The  son  was 
a  great  friend  of  De  Witt  Clinton,  and  was  active 
with    him   in   pushing   numerous   improvements  in 


America 


107 


the  city  and  state  of  New  York,  notably  the  Erie 
Canal. 

Colden's  book-plate  was  a  plain  armorial,  while 
Clinton's  was  in  the  height  of  style,  and  was 
engraved  by  the  fashionable  engraver,  Maverick, 
in    the    simple    but    elegant    Ribbon    and    Wreath 


arrangement. 


In  looking  over  the  names  of  the  families  in 
whose  homes  there  were  enough  books  to  induce 
the  possession  of  a  book-plate,  one  comes  across 
many  which  have  been  familiar  since  the  days  when 
the  study  of  United  States  history  was  a  school 
task.  In  some  cases,  the  plates  themselves  are  of 
interest,  but  the  collector  values  them  mostly  for 
their  associations.  For  instance,  the  plate  of  Van 
Cortlandt  is  not  particularly  striking ;  but  who  that 
knows  something  of  the  story  of  the  old  manor- 
house  at  Croton  can  look  at  this  plate,  with  its 
military  emblems  surrounding  the  shield,  and  not 
consider  it  a  bit  of  most  interesting  memorabilia? 

Then,  too,  there  was  the  Van  Rensselaer  family, 
which  held  its  rights  as  patroons  until  well  into  the 
present  century,  a  long-lived  relic  of  the  West  India 
Company,  and  before  the  door  of  whose  manor- 
house  stood  the  cannon  whose  loud  intonation  was 
only  heard  when  a  new  member  of  the  family  was 
ushered  into  the  world,  or  when  one  of  them  de- 
parted this  life.  Numerous  book-plates  were  used 
by  members  of  this  noted  family,  and  Kilain  K. 
Van  Rensselaer  had  a  handsome  design  in  the  Rib- 
bon and  Wreath  style  by  Maverick.  Probably  no 
family  in  the  country  had  so  many  or  such  interesting 
plates,  taken  collectively,  as  had  the   Livingstons: 


io8  Kx   Libris 

Brockholst  Livingston,  the  scholar  and  hiwyer, 
Edward,  Maturin,  and  Judge  Robert  R.,  who  had 
plates  by  Maverick,  and  Walter,  William  S.,  and 
Robert  R.,  the  Chancellor,  who  had  plates  by  the 
same  engraver. 

Many  and  interesting  are  the  anecdotes  of  this 
extremely  interesting  family,  which  has  been  of  such 
prominence  in  the  history  of  their  state  and  the  na- 
tion. The  British  destroyed  the  old  home  of  Judge 
Robert  R.  in  the  year  1777;  but  not  until  from  it 
had  come  a  notable  family  of  sons  and  daughters. 
It  was  the  Chancellor  who  was  sent  to  the  court  of 
Napoleon,  and  to  whom  was  given  the  snuff-box 
with  the  portrait  by  Isabey  painted  upon  it,  and  it 
was  the  deafness  of  this  distinguished  man,  and 
the  inability  to  speak  French  of  his  brother-in- 
law.  General  Armstrong,  who  succeeded  the  future 
Chancellor  as  minister  to  France,  that  caused  Napo- 
leon to  make  the  celebrated  remark,  "  What  strange 
people  these  Americans  are  !  First  they  send  me  a 
deaf  man,  and  then  one  who  is  dumb ! " 

When  old  Philip  Livingston  died,  in  the  year 
1749,  there  was  a  funeral  of  a  most  aristocratic 
nature.  Some  account  of  it  is  still  preserved,  and 
among  the  noteworthy  facts  recorded  in  a  contem- 
porary journal  are  that  spiced  wine  was  passed  to 
the  eight  bearers,  who  were  presented  not  only  with 
gloves  and  handkerchiefs,  but  also  with  mourning 
rings  and  monkey  spoons.  It  is  also  stated  that 
the  cost  of  this  function  must  have  reached  the  tidy 
sum  of  ^500. 

Samuel  Provost,  the  first  Bishop  of  New  York, 
used  a  book-plate  which  was  engraved  by  Maverick, 


America  109 

and  which,  in  addition  to  the  arms  and  mitre,  carried 
the  motto  Pro  libertate.  This  learned  churchman 
had  a  rural  retreat  at  East  Camp  in  Dutchess  (now 
Columbia)  County,  and  there  he  enjoyed  not  only 
his  literary  pursuits,  but  the  garden  and  farm  there 
pleasantly  located.  The  Bishop  was  a  lover  of 
books,  and  had  among  his  treasures  some  fine  speci- 
mens of  the  printing  of  Baskerville,  a  rare  Venetian 
Dante  of  1547,  Rapin's  England^  in  five  noble  folios, 
a  collection  of  Americana,  and  one  of  Elzevirana,  as 
well  as  some  notable  specimens  of  incunabula,  among 
the  last  a  Sweynheym  and  Pannartz  imprint  of  1470. 
He  was  a  remarkable  man  in  a  good  many  ways, 
and,  being  heartily  in  sympathy  with  the  American 
patriots,  he  resigned  his  position  at  Trinity  Church, 
and  betook  himself  to  the  country  seat  mentioned 
above,  where  he  spent  some  years.  Upon  the  de- 
parture of  the  British  from  New  York  in  1783,  he 
came  out  from  his  retirement  and  was  made  Bishop. 
He  was  chaplain  to  the  Continental  Congress  in 
1785,  and  to  the  United  States  Senate  in  1789. 
He  died  in  181 5. 

Colonel  William  Duer  (who  had  been  aide-de- 
camp to  Lord  Clive  in  India,  and  who  married  Cath- 
erine, daughter  of  Lord  Stirling,  and  was  thus  with 
his  wife  able  to  lend  quite  an  aristocratic  and  English 
flavor  to  the  polished  gatherings  of  the  day)  used 
a  simple  book-plate  with  the  crest  of  his  family  for 
design,  and  the  motto  Esse  quam  videri.  What 
munificent  entertainments,  what  charming  society, 
what  rustle  of  silks  and  laces,  what  titterings  between 
the  lovely  young  ladies,  what  gallantries  on  the  part 
of  the  perfectly  dressed  beaux  these  names  recall  ! 


I  lo  Ex   Libris 

The  wedding  of  Colonel  Duer  and  the  bright  Lady 
Kitty,  whom  John  Ouincy  Adams,  with  the  proper 
amount  of  polish,  referred  to  as  "one  of  the  sweet- 
est-looking women  in  the  city,"  was  a  very  cele- 
brated event ;  and,  as  it  occurred  while  General 
Greene  had  his  headquarters  in  the  house  and  there 
were  plenty  of  soldiers  about,  it  took  on  a  decidedly 
military  character.  The  bride  was  given  away  by 
the  Commander-in-chief  himself,  the  loud  calls  of 
the  soldiers  for  a  sight  of  the  lady  were  listened  to, 
and  she  stepped  upon  the  lawn  to  receive  the  ring- 
ing cheers  and  hearty  congratulations  of  the  throng. 
Surely  the  old  manor-house  of  Lord  Stirling  held 
never  a  gayer  company  than  this. 

Christopher  Mildeberger,  who  was  of  the  family 
once  owning  the  land  on  a  part  of  which  the  Fifth 
Avenue  Hotel  now  stands,  used  a  small  pictorial 
book-plate. 

William  Constable  came  of  a  family  owning  large 

tracts  of  land  near  the  city  of  Utica,  and  he  used  a 

book-plate  evidently  made  by  an  engraver  who  was 

not  an  expert.      Myles  Cooper,  who  was  the  second 

President  of  King's  College  (now  Columbia),  used  a 

very  handsome  Chippendale  book-plate.     The  story 

of  the  hasty  flight  he  was  obliged  to  make  through 

a  window  of  the  college  buildings  to  escape  rough 

handling  at  the  hands  of  those  who  were  infuriated 

"  .       .      .       . 

at   his    Loyalist   inclinations,  is  well   authenticated. 

Among  other  families  of  New  York  using  book- 
plates in  the  earlier  days  were  the  Cuttings,  the 
Cuylers,  the  De  Peysters,  the  De  Witts,  the  Duanes, 
the  Fishes,  the  Fraunces,  the  Goelets,  the  Grades, 
the    Harisons,    the    HofFmans,    the   Jaunceys,    the 


America  1 1 1 

Jays,  the  Kips,  and  the  Kissams.  Among  them, 
too,  were  such  names  as  Ogden,  Paulding,  descend- 
ants of  the  captor  of  Major  Andre,  Pierce,  Pintard, 
Popham,  Roome,  Rutgers,  Schuyler,  Sedgwick, 
Smith,  Stewart,  Stone,  Ten  Broeck,  TomHnson, 
Van  Berkel,  Van  Buren,  Van  Ness,  Varick,  Wall, 
Watkins,  Wetmore,  Wisner,  Wynkoop,  and  Yates. 
The  collector  who  desires  to  make  a  specialty  of  the 
early  plates  of  the  city  and  state  of  New  York  has 
a  rich  field  to  work  in,  and  one  that  in  historical 
interest  almost  surpasses  any  other  our  country  offers. 
As  one  looks  back  to  those  old  families  and  visits 
the  old  manor-houses,  he  can  picture  the  scenes 
there  enacted,  can  hear  the  hum  of  voices,  see  the 
bright  faces  of  the  ladies  and  richly  colored  velvets 
of  the  gentlemen,  hear  the  clink  of  the  glasses,  see 
the  smoke  rising  from  fragrant  cigars  towards  the 
beams  of  the  ceiling,  and  may,  now  and  then,  see 
the  Continental  uniform,  hear  the  harsh  word  of 
command,  and  witness  the  march  of  troops,  the 
skirmish,  or  the  battle  itself  The  study  of  the 
times  and  the  people  brought  to  mind  by  a  good 
collection  of  book-plates  will  carry  the  enthusiastic 
student  into  many  lines  of  research,  will  unravel 
some  difficult  things,  will  lead  him  into  many  unsus- 
pected pleasant  spots,  and  cannot  fail  to  increase  his 
interest  in  the  history  of  his  country,  whatever  it 
may  happen  to  be. 

Just  off  the  coast  of  Connecticut,  and  lying  in  a 
snug  position,  is  Gardiner's  Island,  once  known 
as  the  Isle  of  Wight.  In  a  graveyard  of  New 
London  may  be  seen  a  stone  bearing  the  following 
inscription:  — 


112  Ex   Libris 

"Here  lyeth  buried  ye  body  of  his  excellency  John 
Gardiner,  Third  Lord  of  ye  Isle  of  Wight,  He  was  born 
April  19th  1661  and  departed  this  life  June  25th  1738." 

It  was  in  the  year  1686  that  this  island  was  set 
off  to  old  Lion  Gardiner,  the  founder  of  this  most 
interesting  estate,  by  Governor  Dongan  of  New 
York.  Lion  Gardiner  came  to  America  under  the 
patronage  of  Lord  Saye  and  Sele  and  the  younger 
John  Winthrop,  for  whom  he  was  to  build  a  fort  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  River;  and  he  it  was 
who  gave  to  this  first  stronghold  erected  in  New 
England,  outside  of  Boston,  the  name  of  Saybrook. 
The  old  manor-house  on  Gardiner's  Island,  as  it  is 
now  called,  remains  to  this  day,  and  the  few  visitors 
who  get  to  it  are  shown  the  relics  of  long-ago  times, 
including  uniforms,  furniture,  and  the  various  small 
possessions  which  are  usually  included  in  such  lists 
of  memorabilia.  The  graveyard,  with  its  table  mon- 
uments bearing  the  Gardiner  arms  cut  in  the  stone, 
the  old  weather-beaten  windmill,  the  house  itself 
behind  its  closed  gates,  the  open  space  called  "  the 
Common,"  where  the  sheep  graze,  and,  indeed,  all 
the  surroundings,  speak  with  force  to  the  historical 
student.  One  of  the  treasures  kept  with  great  care 
is  the  Geneva  Bible  (1599)  in  which  is  the  record  of 
the  coming  of  old  Lion  Gardiner.  Several  of  the 
lords  used  book-plates,  and  they  are  of  the  greatest 
interest  to  the  collector,  possessing  the  charm  of 
those  old  times  when  this  American  lordship  was 
maintained  in  the  style  it  deserved. 

Samuel  Bard,  eminent  physician,  author  of  medi- 
cal works  of  value,  and  a  skilful  horticulturist,  used 
a  book-plate  in  the  Chippendale  style.     His  life  was 


America  113 

an  eventful  one,  and  shows  him  to  have  been  an  in- 
teresting man.  He  was  educated  in  Edinburgh,  and, 
on  his  passage  thither  from  this  country  in  1761,  he 
was  captured  by  the  French ;  and  after  five  months 
was  released  through  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Franklin. 
He  organized  a  medical  school  upon  his  return  to 
New  York,  which  was  united  to  King's  College,  and 
he  ultimately  became  dean  of  the  faculty.  He  mar- 
ried his  cousin,  had  a  lucrative  practice,  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
and  while  the  seat  of  government  was  in  New  York 
he  was  the  family  physician  of  General  Washington. 
Going  up  to  Connecticut  next,  the  collector  will 
find  in  that  land  of  steady  habits  many  Interesting 
book-plates  used  by  the  good  people  who  gave  the 
state  its  good  name.  Of  the  men  who  fought  in 
the  Revolution,  there  was  John  Chester,  who  com- 
manded the  elite  corps  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  and  whose  home  was  In  Wethersfield;  Jacob 
Sargeant,  who  was  a  noted  maker  of  watches  and 
tall  clocks,  and  who  was  one  of  the  last  of  the 
"  gentlemen  of  the  old  school."  He  was  seen  upon 
the  streets  of  Hartford,  in  which  city  was  his  home, 
attired  in  breeches  and  hose  long  after  their  use  was 
generally  discontinued.  Alsop,  the  wit  and  poet 
who  lived  down  the  river  at  Middletown;  Deacon 
Bull,  who  was  perhaps  the  busiest  man  in  the  village 
of  Farmington;  Goodwin,  who  was  at  one  time  the 
publisher  of  the  Hartford  Courant,  the  oldest  news- 
paper in  our  country;  Isaiah  Allen  of  Enfield,  who 
used  a  simple  device  engraved  by  a  relative ;  Ingersoll 
of  New  Haven ;  Jarvis  of  the  bishop's  family ;  Lord  of 
East  Haddam;  Musgrave  of  New  Haven;  Reed  of 


114  Ex   Libris 

East  Windsor;  Thomas  Robbins,  whose  library  served 

as  the  foundation  and  beginning  of  the  library  of  the 
Connecticut  Historical  Society;  Waldo,  the  "fight- 
ing parson  "  who  suffered  such  cruelties  while  con- 
fined in  the  New  York  Sugar  House;  and  Oliver 
Wolcott,  sometime  Governor  of  the  state,  and  long 
before  that  a  signer  of  the  Declaration, —  are  among 
the  names  to  which  the  book-plate  hunter  attaches 
importance.  Beside  the  plates  of  individuals,  Con- 
necticut is  rich  in  the  plates  of  early  libraries  which 
the  industrious  inhabitants  contrived  to  support. 
Among  these,  the  plate  of  the  Theological  Institute 
with  its  representation  of  an  old  pulpit;  the  East 
Windsor  Literary  Association;  the  three  plates  of 
the  Farmington  Library,  and  the  smaller  but  no  less 
pleasing  library  interior  used  by  the  Village  Library 
of  the  same  town  ;  the  Guilford  Library  plate,  very 
probably  engraved  by  Doolittle;  the  old  engraved 
label  of  the  Hartford  Library  Company,  and  the 
Social  Library  of  Wethersfield,  which  is  signed  by 
Doolittle,  —  are  perhaps  the  best.  Besides  these,  there 
are  the  exceedingly  interesting  plates  of  Yale  College 
Library,  and  the  curious  plates  used  by  the  various 
literary  and  social  societies  supported  by  the  students 
and  the  alumni,  the  Brothers  in  Unity,  and  the 
Linonian  Society. 

In  the  year  1686  the  city  of  Boston  had  four 
book-sellers,  and  from  the  old  records  it  appears  that 
they  were  men  of  some  wealth  and  position  in  soci- 
ety ;  while  the  most  successful  of  them  all,  Mr. 
Usher,  left  an  estate  of  some  ^20,000.  When 
we  read  that  New  York  had  but  one  book-shop  in 
17 1 9,  we  feel  that  the  literary  ascendency  of  Boston 


America  115 

is  no  new  thing,  no  empty  claim,  and  as  the  collector 
of  book-plates  gathers  together  the  plates  of  the 
book-owners  of  Boston  and  other  towns  in  the  state 
of  Massachusetts,  he  finds  that  they  equal  those  of 
New  York  in  number,  and  surpass  them  in  at  least 
one  point  of  interest.  The  plates  of  the  aristocratic 
New  Yorkers  were  engraved  by  Maverick,  who  was 
an  importation  from  England;  while  the  wealthy 
and  book-loving  people  of  Boston  and  vicinity  em- 
ployed such  engravers  as  Nathaniel  Hurd  and  Paul 
Revere,  who  were  not  only  self-taught  in  the  art  of 
engraving  on  copper,  but  were  native-born  Ameri- 
cans. To  the  collector  of  book-plates,  these  exam- 
ples of  the  early  American  engravers  are  of  surpassing 
interest.  It  is  true  that  in  comparison  with  some  of 
the  plates  by  Maverick  they  suffer,  and  that  they 
have  not  the  excellence  of  finish  noticed  in  the 
plates  done  by  the  professional  copper-plate  engrav- 
ers of  London,  which  were  used  by  many  American 
families,  particularly  in  the  states  and  cities  south  of 
New  York. 

Hurd  did  not  engrave  as  many  plates  as  Maverick 
did,  but  his  career  was  much  shorter,  as  he  died  in 
1777,  while  Maverick  lived  some  thirty  years  longer. 
But  all  the  work  which  Hurd  did  showed  him  fitted 
by  nature  to  excel  in  the  line  of  work  his  enterprise 
led  him  to  take  up,  and,  had  he  been  spared  to  con- 
tinue the  development  of  the  art  of  the  book-plate, 
he  would  undoubtedly  have  made  many  which  would 
have  stood  the  most  careful  comparisons.  At  the 
present  time,  the  collector  knows  nearly  fifty  plates 
which  were  made  by  him;  and  among  his  customers 
were  such  men  as  Theodore  Atkinson,  who  was  a 


1 1 6  Ex   Libris 

person  of  no  small  importance  in  the  colony  of 
New  Hampshire,  holding  various  offices  which  the 
Revolution  deprived  him  of,  and  who  at  his  death 
left  £,100  to  his  church,  the  interest  to  be  spent  for 
bread  to  be  given  to  the  poor;  Francis  Dana,  a 
statesman  and  jurist  of  distinction,  who  served  his 
country  in  many  offices,  and  was  Secretary  of  Lega- 
tion when  Mr.  Adams  went  to  Paris  in  1779,  and 
who  was  a  founder  of  the  American  Academy  of 
Arts  and  Sciences,  and  whose  son,  Richard  Henry 
Dana,  the  essayist  and  poet,  was  a  member  of  the 
club  which  started  the  North  American  Review. 
Francis  Dana  married  a  daughter  of  William  Ellery, 
and  Ellery  Street  in  Boston  was  so  named  to  com- 
memorate her  family.  And  there  were  Dr.  Samuel 
Danforth,  who  practised  until  he  was  eighty  years  of 
age,  and  whose  judgment  was  so  highly  thought  of 
that  in  every  difficult  medical  case  he  was  appealed 
to  with  the  feeling  that  his  opinion  reached  the  limit 
of  human  skill ;  Philip  Dumeresque,  who  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  old  Trinity  Church  in  Boston,  yet 
in  whose  home  on  Summer  Street  Peter  Pelham, 
who  is  known  to-day  as  the  earliest  engraver  we 
have  any  account  of  in  New  England,  taught  not 
only  writing  and  arithmetic,  but  dancing;  Benjamin 
Greene,  a  wealthy  Boston  merchant ;  Robert  Hale 
of  Beverly,  a  leading  man  in  the  province,  and  com- 
mander of  a  regiment  under  Pepperell  at  Louisburg  ; 
Harvard  College,  for  which  Hurd  made  several 
plates ;  the  Rev.  William  Hooper,  father  of  the  signer 
of  the  Declaration,  from  North  Carolina;  Hon.  Jon- 
athan Jackson,  who  dined  with  General  Washington 
upon  the  occasion    of  that  visit   to   Boston  when 


America  117 

Governor  Hancock  acted  with  rudeness  to  the  Pres- 
ident, and  who  at  the  table  discussed  the  matter, 
freely  condemning  the  Governor  for  his  action ; 
Robert  Jenkins,  who  collected  the  money  to  buy 
the  chime  of  bells  which  hung  in  the  steeple  of  Christ 
Church,  Boston;  Peter  R.  Livingston,  of  the  family 
for  whom  Maverick  made  several  plates ;  John 
Lowell,  who  inserted  in  the  "Bill  of  Rights"  the 
phrase  "all  men  are  born  free  and  equal,"  with  the 
express  purpose  of  suppressing  slavery ;  Joshua 
Spooner,  whose  plate  must  have  been  intended  to 
convey  a  pun  on  the  owner's  name,  as  it  shows  two 
doves  billing  and  cooing ;  Andrew  Tyler,  a  gold- 
smith of  Boston ;  and  the  Wentworths  of  New 
Hampshire. 

Such  interest,  however,  clusters  about  the  name 
of  Paul  Revere,  the  stanch  patriot  of  Massachu- 
setts, that  the  few  book-plates  he  made  are  esteemed 
of  the  highest  importance,  ranking  in  the  collector's 
regard  next  to  the  plate  of  General  Washington. 
There  are  four  plates  which  bear  the  signature  of 
Revere  as  engraver,  and  one  of  them,  the  Epes  Sar- 
gent, is  quite  rare.  The  others  belonged  to  Gardiner 
Chandler,  David  Greene,  and  William  Wetmore,  all 
members  of  families  whose  names  are  well  known 
in  Massachusetts,  although  these  individual  owners 
may  not  themselves  have  earned  enduring  fame. 
There  is  another  plate,  bearing  the  name  Paul 
Revere^  which  was  Revere's  own,  and  which  was  in 
all  probability  his  own  handiwork,  although  it  is  not 
signed.  This  little  group  of  five  plates,  with  one 
or  two  others  which  are  sometimes  attributed  to 
him,  complete  the  list  of  known  book-plates  by  this 


it8  Ex   Libris 

celebrated  man.  He  attained  a  rough  proficiency 
in  the  art  of  engraving  on  copper,  and  his  book- 
plates are  engraved  with  more  care  and  finish  than 
were  the  cartoons  and  historical  scenes  from  his 
graver.  In  connection  with  the  Epes  Sargent  plate 
there  is  an  interesting  story:  For  a  long  time  only 
one  copy  of  this  plate  was  known,  and,  as  it  bore 
the  signature  of  Revere  and  was  considered  unique, 
it  was  practically  above  valuation.  Early  in  the 
year  1895  I  had  a  letter  from  a  portrait  painter 
living  in  the  city  of  Providence,  R.I.,  asking  if  the 
book-plate  of  Epes  Sargent,  engraved  by  Paul 
Revere,  had  any  value.  Realizing  at  once  the  im- 
portance of  the  "  find,"  and  feeling  that  the  plate 
should  bring  as  much  as  possible,  1  communicated 
the  news  to  a  book  auctioneer  of  Boston,  who,  after 
some  correspondence  with  the  writer  of  the  letter  of 
inquiry,  bought  the  two  volumes,  with  the  plates  in 
them,  for  something  like  thirty-five  dollars.  The 
painter,  upon  this  happy  conclusion  of  the  matter, 
wrote  me,  saying  he  was  pleased  to  have  received  so 
much  for  the  plates,  which  some  years  before  had 
cost  him  ten  cents,  and  which  he  had  bought  simply 
because  he  admired  Copley's  portrait  of  Revere,  and, 
happening  one  day  in  an  old  bookstore  in  Boston 
to  come  across  these  two  volumes  containing  exam- 
ples of  the  work  of  Revere,  was  inclined  to  own 
them.  One  of  the  plates  now  adorns  the  collection 
of  a  Boston  book-plate  enthusiast,  while  the  other, 
which  was  put  up  at  auction,  brought  the  handsome 
sum  of  seventy-five  dollars.  This  is  now  owned  by 
a  lady  collector  who  has  one  of  the  finest  collections 
of  really  good  plates  in  the  country. 


America  119 

But  when  we  have  collected  all  the  plates  made  by- 
Revere  or  Hurd,  the  list  of  notable  plates  in  Massa- 
chusetts is  by  no  means  exhausted.  A  few  names 
will  be  recognized  at  once  as  of  distinguished  per- 
sons and  families.  There  was  John  Adams,  the  sec- 
ond President  of  the  United  States  ;  John  Quincy 
Adams,  the  sixth  President ;  members  of  the  Ap- 
thorp  family  —  East  Apthorp,  the  Episcopal  divine, 
who  was  a  missionary  of  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  (which  itself 
had  a  curious  pictorial  plate),  and  who  occupied  a 
very  elegant  house  which  was  dubbed  "  the  palace 
of  one  of  the  humble  successors  of  the  Apostles  "  ; 
Joseph  Barrell,  the  rich  Boston  merchant  and  pio- 
neer in  the  northwest  coast  trade  ;  Jonathan  Belcher, 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire, 
1 730-1741  ;  Hon.  James  Bowdoin,  the  benefactor 
of  the  college  which  bears  his  name  ;  Stephen  Cleve- 
land, whose  pictorial  plate  showing  a  British  man-of- 
war  under  full  sail  is  very  unusual  and  very  pleasing, 
and  who  is  said  to  have  received  the  first  commission 
in  the  United  States  Navy;  Hector  Coffin  of  Bos- 
ton, a  descendant  of  old  Sir  Isaac  Coffin,  and  com- 
ing from  the  Pine  Coffin  family  of  England  (of  so 
suggestive  a  name) ;  Richard  Cranch,  brother-in-law 
of  John  Adams,  who  lived  in  Braintrec ;  Samuel 
Dexter,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  later  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury ;  Joseph  Dudley,  the  Governor  of  the 
Colony  of  Massachusetts,  whose  plate  bore  the  date 
1702,  and  which  is  the  earliest  dated  plate  in  Amer- 
ica thus  far  discovered ;  Jeremiah  Dummer,  a  gold- 
smith and  father  of  the  Governor ;  Rev.  William 
Emerson,  father  of  Ralph  Waldo   Emerson;  J  ere- 


I20  Ex   Libris 

miah  Everts,  father  of  the  senator;  Edward  Everett, 
scholar  and  orator ;  Edward  Augustus  Holvoke, 
the  eminent  physician  and  surgeon,  whose  abihties 
did  not  fail  at  an  advanced  age ;  John  Jeffries,  an- 
other physician  and  surgeon,  and  one  who  rendered 
service  to  the  British  and  was  the  man  who  recog- 
nized the  body  of  General  Warren  at  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill ;  Minot,  the  historian ;  Timothy 
Newell,  who  used  an  elaborate  wood-cut  which  was 
printed  by  Isaiah  Thomas,  and  which  represented 
the  patriotic  feelings  of  its  owner  in  the  military 
accoutrements  displayed  in  the  ornamentation;  An- 
drew Oliver,  eldest  son  of  the  famous  stamp  dis- 
tributor under  Hutchinson,  and  whose  house  was 
mobbed  and  he  himself  hung  in  effigy ;  James  Otis, 
whose  daughter  Mercy  married  James  Warren, 
sometime  President  of  the  Provincial  Congress  of 
Massachusetts,  and  his  son  of  the  same  name,  who 
was  so  distinguished  an  orator  and  patriot ;  Sir  Wil- 
liam Pepperell,  grandson  of  the  first  Sir  William, 
who  assumed  his  name  and  was  created  a  baronet 
Oct.  29,  1774,  and  whose  vast  estates  were  confis- 
cated because  of  the  intense  loyalism  of  the  family. 
This  Sir  William  married  Elizabeth  Royal  and  died 
without  leaving  heirs,  by  which  means  the  name 
became  extinct  in  this  country,  the  family  being  rep- 
resented by  Sparhawks,  Huttons,  Tylers,  Snows,  and 
others.  A  granddaughter  of  Sir  William  married  a 
Colonel  Williams,  and  upon  her  death  the  Colonel 
consoled  himself  with  a  second  wife,  and  she  dying 
before  very  long,  a  third  consort  was  taken.  The 
following  spicy  record  of  these  matrimonial  ventures 
was  written  by  some  witty  friend :  — 


America  1 2 1 

"Colonel  Williams  married  his  first  wife,  Miss  Miriam 
Tyler,  for  good  sense,  and  got  it ;  his  second  wife,  Miss 
Wells,  for  love  and  beauty,  and  had  it ;  and  his  third  wife. 
Aunt  Hannah  Dickinson,  for  good  qualities,  and  got 
horribly  cheated." 

Thomas  Handasyd  Perkins  was  a  rich  merchant 
of  Boston,  who  used  an  armorial  plate;  and,  among 
others  whose  plates  are  interesting,  on  account  of  the 
prominence  of  their  owners  in  one  way  or  another, 
should  be  mentioned:  Samuel  Phillips,  founder  of  the 
Academy  at  Andover  which  bears  his  name  ;  Josiah 
Quincy,  the  Mayor  of  Boston  in  whose  administra- 
tion several  important  public  works  were  completed ; 
Isaac  Royall,  benefactor  of  Harvard  College  (after- 
wards of  Antigua) ;  Thomas  O.  Selfridge,  who  killed 
Charles  Austin  on  State  Street  in  Boston,  in  1806, 
and  who  was  defended  at  his  trial  by  Samuel  Dexter 
and  Christopher  Gore,  and  was  acquitted,  it  being 
explained  by  some  one  that  the  cause  of  the  dispute 
in  which  the  tv/o  were  engaged  was  owing  to  a  misun- 
derstanding about  "  seven  roast  pigs  and  ten  bushels 
of  green  peas."  The  real  cause  was  a  political  disa- 
greement. For  a  long  time  this  Monday  of  August 
was  known  in  Boston  as  "  Bloody  Monday." 

James  Swan,  who  was  a  member  of  the  "  Boston 
Tea  Party,"  used  an  interesting  pictorial  book-plate 
which  gave  a  clue  to  his  Scotch  descent,  and  John 
Barnard  Swett  of  Newburyport  used  a  plate  which 
was  full  of  emblems  which  no  one  could  mistake, 
indicating  the  disciple  of  iEsculapius.  As  the  early 
printers  of  Massachusetts  hold  a  prominent  place  in 
the  history  of  the  state,  the  plate  of  Isaiah  Thomas 
is  one  that  the  collector  is  glad  to  add  to  his  list. 


122  Ex  Libris 

The  plate  of  John  Vassall,  who  was  so  rich  a  loyal- 
ist and  who  died  in  England,  whose  mansion-house 
at  Cambridge  became  the  headquarters  of  General 
Washington,  and  subsequently  the  home  of  the 
poet  Longfellow  (who  himself  used  a  modest  book- 
plate with  a  Latin  inscription),  is  interesting  in  itself 
as  well  as  on  account  of  its  owner;  for  it  may  with 
considerable  certainty  be  ascribed  to  Hurd,  which 
fact  is  interesting  as  showing  the  willingness  of  this 
wealthy  Britisher  to  employ  an  American  engraver. 
The  plates  of  the  Vaughans,  too,  are  interesting  as 
being  of  a  wealthy  family  and  a  generous  one,  Ben- 
jamin giving  his  library  to  Bowdoin  College.  The 
Winthrops,  too,  used  book-plates,  and  one  very  old 
one  which  was  used  by  John  Winthrop,  who  was 
born  in  1681  and  who  died  in  England  in  1747, 
is  known.  Old  Thomas  Coram,  who  in  1694  was 
a  shipwright  in  Taunton,  Mass.,  and  who  gave 
land  and  books  for  a  library  in  that  town,  used  a 
book-plate  which  shows  his  crest  and  his  name 
below  it  enclosed  within  an  oval  wreath  of  vines. 
The  plate  is  rather  crude  in  design  and  execution, 
as  befits  its  early  date.  He  it  was  who  established 
the  FouHdling  Hospital  near  London,  where  one 
hundred  and  seventeen  infants  were  cared  for,  it  is 
said,  on  the  first  day  it  was  opened,  and  where  Han- 
del used  to  play  annually.  The  red-coated  boys  and 
the  white-capped  girls  may  still  be  seen  playing  in 
the  enclosure,  and  the  visitor  may  see  within  the 
buildings  some  very  interesting  relics  of  the  bygone 
glory  of  the  place,  —  among  other  things,  paintings 
by  Hogarth,  Kneller,  and  West ;  a  bust  by  Roubillac ; 
and  the  pulpit  in  which  Laurence  Sterne  preached. 


!'AM;^l),^M^M^MI»<'^'',HM!M!/,^iMU^M'-jMtt^ijA'Hj'M^.t'i■ia 


America  123 

Massachusetts,  too,  had  many  hbraries  which  used 
book-plates  which  are  worthy  of  notice  and  which 
the  collector  will  prize.  The  American  Academy 
of  Arts  and  Sciences  used  an  elaborate  plate  en- 
graved by  Callender,  the  Boston  Architectural 
Library,  Boston  Circulating  Shakespeare  Library, 
Boston  Social  Law  Library,  Bowdoin  College,  Boyl- 
ston  Medical  Library,  Dartmouth  College  and  its 
Society  of  Social  Friends,  the  Dedham  Scripture 
Study  Society,  Harvard  College  and  the  Hasty 
Pudding  and  Porcellian  societies,  the  Haverhill 
Library,  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  New- 
buryport  Athenaeum,  and  the  Worcester  Circulating 
Library  are  among  these. 

As  one  glances  over  the  plates  of  Massachusetts, 
it  may  occur  to  him  that  their  owners  lived  with 
less  repose  than  did  the  New  Yorkers  or  the  Phila- 
delphians.  There  was  money  and  culture,  but  there 
was  not  the  air  of  leisure  about  the  life  of  the  in- 
habitants of  this  Northern  state  that  impresses  one 
in  turning  over  the  records  of  the  more  southern 
colonies.  There  must  have  been  in  their  blood 
some  inclination  to  take  things  seriously,  to  give 
themselves  to  unremitting  labor,  and  an  intense 
love  of  country  and  liberty.  These  things  worked 
together  to  prevent  the  full  enjoyment  of  ease  and 
luxury  in  so  general  and  widespread  a  fashion  as 
was  observable  among  their  Southern  neighbors. 

It  will  occur  to  some,  undoubtedly,  that  the  early 
engravers  offer  a  most  inviting  field  for  investiga- 
tion, and  so  they  do;  but,  unfortunately,  very  little 
can  be  found  in  old  records  and  books  concerning 
them.     The  "  interview  "  was  not  then  so  elaborate 


124  Ex   Libris 

an  affair  as  It  is  to-day,  and  the  lives  of  these  hum- 
ble artisans,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  have  not 
been  made  the  subject  of  magazine  articles  or  the 
longer  biography  which  would  fill  a  book.  In  New 
England  there  were  Abel  Bowen,  Joseph  Callender, 
Nathaniel  Dearborn,  John  Mason  Furnass,  S.  Har- 
ris, Samuel  Hill,  Nathaniel  Hurd,  Paul  Revere, 
Thomas  Johnson,  and  James  Turner,  all  of  Boston; 
Amos  Doolittle  and  Gideon  Fairman,  of  Connecti- 
cut; and  Edward  and  Elisha  Gallaudet,  Abraham 
Godwin,  Charles  P.  Harrison,  the  Mavericks,  Alex- 
ander Anderson,  and  Charles  P.  Rollinson,  in  New 
York;  with  John  Boyd,  Henry  Dawkins,  Francis 
Kearney,  J.  Smithers,  T.  Sparrow,  James  Thackara, 
James  Trenchard,  and  John  Vallance  in  the  cities 
farther  south.  Here  is  a  handful  of  early  engravers 
whom  it  would  be  most  interesting  to  know  more 
of  than  we  now  do,  and  all  additions  to  our  knowl- 
edge of  them  is  most  welcome. 

Before  taking  leave  of  the  early  plates  of  our 
country,  mention  should  be  made  of  a  few  very  ex- 
cellent examples  of  engraving  which  the  book- 
owners  of  the  West  Indies  used  in  their  volumes. 
Among  these  are  Charles  Ashwell  of  Grenada; 
William  Assheton,  Provost  Marshal  of  Barbadoes; 
Joseph  Beete  of  Demerary;  William  Blanc  of  Do- 
minica, who  was  educated  at  the  Middle  Temple; 
Jonathan  Blenman,  Attorney-General  and  Judge  of 
the  Admiralty  in  Barbadoes;  Francis  Byam  of  the 
island  of  Antigua;  Donald  Campbell  of  Jamaica; 
Bryan  Edwards  of  Greenwich  Park,  Jamaica,  who 
was  not  only  a  very  wealthy  merchant,  but  a  histo- 
rian  of  ability;   Samuel    Heming  of  the   parish  of 


America  125 

Santa  Anna  in  Jamaica;  Robert  Hunter,  who  was 
sometime  Governor  of  Jamaica,  in  1728  the  Bishop 
of  Jamaica;  WiUiam  George  Knox  of  the  island  of 
Trinidad;  Charles  Pinfold,  Governor  of  Barbadoes ; 
Eben  Robertson  of  Kingston,  Jamaica,  who  be- 
longed to  that  family  of  Robertsons  below  whose 
shield  of  arms  depends  the  man  in  chains;  Samuel 
Vaughan,  the  wealthy  planter  in  Jamaica ;  and  Wil- 
liam Williams  of  Antigua,  who  had  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  plates  used  in  this  country,  and  which  was 
engraved  in  Paris. 

Leaving  now  the  old  plates,  we  turn  for  a  mo- 
ment to  speak  of  some  of  the  recent  examples.  No 
historical  memories  as  yet  enrich  these  plates,  but 
very  possibly  the  collector  of  the  next  century  will 
look  back  to  many  of  them  with  great  delight  and 
find  in  them  many  a  reason  for  their  preservation ; 
and  as  generations  come  and  go,  the  day  will  prob- 
ably come  when  they  will  be  written  about  as  old 
plates,  scarce  and  valuable.  I  do  not  intend  here  to 
mention  many  plates,  indeed,  only  those  which  are 
illustrated  in  this  volume,  and  whose  owners  have 
kindly  placed  their  coppers  in  my  hands  for  this 
purpose.  They  have  been  selected  with  care  and 
not  without  good  reason. 

They  represent  the  newest  work  of  the  best  en- 
gravers of  the  day.  There  is  just  now  a  verv  wide- 
spread interest  in  the  subject  of  book-plates;  a  very 
general  renascence  is  under  way.  The  book-plate 
is  again  coming  into  use  as  a  useful  and  charming 
bit  of  bookish  property.  This  pleasing  fashion, 
which  was  at  its  height  about  a  century  ago,  is  now, 
after  an  interval  of  decline,  showing  signs  of  vigorous 


126  Ex   Libris 

life.  Just  as  the  early  use  of  the  book-plate  in 
America  was  introduced  from  England,  so  to-day 
this  revival  of  interest  in  the  subject  follows  a  simi- 
lar revival  in  old  England.  To  the  very  flourish- 
ing Ex  Libris  Society  of  London,  and  all  the  active 
members  it  now  numbers,  is  due  this  new  condition 
of  interest. 

In  casting  about  for  a  design  for  his  book-plate, 
the  American  does  not  feel  that  need  of  introducing 
the  shield  of  arms  which  the  Englishman  does. 
Heraldry  is  not  an  American  institution,  and  few 
are  the  Americans  whose  descent  from  the  armorial 
families  of  the  older  countries  is  such  as  to  permit 
the  use  of  arms,  should  the  exact  letter  of  the  laws 
of  this  exact  science  be  applied  to  them.  To  the 
American  who  is  fond  of  books  and  history,  it  will 
at  once  occur  that  a  design  appropriate  to  the  pur- 
pose of  the  book-plate  and  indicating,  by  some  of 
its  features,  an  event  of  historical  importance,  either 
to  the  individual  or  the  country,  can  be  devised. 
Many  such  plates  are  being  engraved  to-day,  and  in 
them  are  many  bits  of  history,  personal  or  national, 
to  discover  and  understand  which  is  the  delight  of 
the  collector.  Among  such,  three  are  illustrated  in 
this  volume,  —  the  plates  of  Dr.  Walker,  of  Mrs. 
Gallaudet,  and  Mr.  Buck. 

Dr.  George  Leon  Walker,  pastor-emeritus  of  the 
old  First  Church  in  Hartford,  records  upon  his 
book-plate  an  incident  in  the  life  of  his  first  ancestor 
on  American  soil,  —  Richard  Walker  of  Saugus  (or 
Lynn),  in  the  year  1632.  In  the  first  part  of  the 
twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Edward  Johnson's  Wonder- 
working Providence  of  Sions  Saviour  in  New  England^ 


America  127 

may  be  found  the  story  the  plate  commemorates. 
Lieutenant  Walker  was  out  on  sentinel  duty  against 
the  Indians  when,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  he 
fired  at  the  savages.  The  gun  burst,  a  fact  which  is 
suggested  in  the  book-plate  by  the  non-belligerent 
manner  in  which  he  holds  his  disabled  "  caliver." 
Upon  examination,  it  was  discovered  that  the  Lieu- 
tenant's coat  had  been  pierced  by  two  arrows,  though 
he  himself  had  escaped  injury.  This  sturdy  Puri- 
tan was  an  officer  in  the  little  army  which  went 
out  against  the  Pequots,  became  a  Captain  in  the 
Massachusetts  troop,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest 
members  of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery 
Company.  He  died  in  Lynn  at  an  advanced  age. 
The  design  which  so  pleasingly  records  the  hair- 
breadth escape  of  the  intrepid  sentinel  was  drawn  by 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Walker's  son.  Professor  Williston 
Walker,  and  the  plate  was  etched  by  Hoffman  of 
Rockville,  Conn. 

The  plate  of  Mrs.  Susan  Denison  Gallaudet  of 
Washington,  D.C.,  which  represents  an  old  door- 
knocker, also  refers  to  a  matter  of  personal  history 
which  is  of  interest.  Colonel  George  Denison,  an 
ancestor  in  the  eighth  generation,  was  the  builder  of 
a  fort  at  Stonington,  Conn.,  the  purpose  of  which 
was  to  supply  a  place  of  refuge  for  his  family  and 
his  neighbors  in  case  of  hostilities  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians.  Some  fifty  years  after  the  fort  was  built,  a 
house  was  erected  upon  its  site,  and  on  its  western 
side  shingles  were  placed  which  had  been  previously 
used  on  the  demolished  fort.  The  old  house  is 
standing  to-day,  or  at  least  it  was  a  dozen  years  ago, 
and  on  its  front  door  is  a  curious  old  iron  knocker. 


128  Ex   Libris 

whose  antique  appearance  caught  Mrs.  Gallaudet's 
attention  upon  the  occasion  of  a  visit  to  this  inter- 
esting locahty.  From  the  sketch  which  she  then 
made,  several  reproductions  in  brass  were  formed, 
which  adorn  the  homes  of  various  members  of  the 
family.  It  occurred  to  Mrs.  Gallaudet  that  this  old 
knocker  would  make  a  fitting  emblem  for  a  book- 
plate, not  only  on  account  of  its  historical  and  family 
associations,  but  also  because  the  knocker  at  the 
door  of  the  book  makes  quite  a  happy  device,  and 
an  uncommon  one.  The  plate  is  etched  by  Mr. 
Howard  Sill,  of  the  Washington  Book-plate  Society. 
Mr.  John  H.  Buck  of  New  York  City,  an  au- 
thority on  old  plate  and  stained  glass,  and  the 
author  of  a  valuable  work  entitled  Old  Plate  (New 
York,  1888),  uses  a  book-plate  of  charming  design, 
which  needs  a  word  of  explanation  to  bring  out  its 
historic  interest.  Mr.  Buck  is  by  birth  a  Devon- 
shire man,  and  his  father  was,  at  the  time  of  his 
birth,  the  second  master  of  the  old  school  founded 
by  Peter  Blundell,  and  within  whose  venerable  walls, 
John  Ridd,  as  all  who  have  read  Lorna  Doone  will 
remember,  learned  the  rudiments.  In  his  book- 
plate, Mr.  Buck,  who  is  familiar  with  all  the  legends 
of  the  school  and  its  vicinity,  has  had  pictured  the 
present  appearance  of  this  noted  school.  One  who 
looks  for  them  will  find  the  spot  in  the  walk  where 
the  founder's  initials  are  sunk  in  big  cobblestones, 
and  the  triangle  upon  which  John  Ridd  put  up  so 
brave  a  fight.  It  will  be  interesting  also  to  relate 
that  the  author  of  Lorna  Doone  attended  this  school 
at  the  time  when  the  owner  of  the  plate  was  born, 
and  that  he,  with  the  other  scholars,  was  granted  a 


America  129 

half-holiday  in  honor  of  the  occasion.  The  tall 
cupola  which  is  seen  in  the  plate  once  crashed 
through  the  roof  into  the  rooms  below,  narrowly- 
missing  putting  an  end  to  the  little  life  so  famously- 
begun  under  its  insecure  foundations.  The  letters 
P.  B.  stand  for  the  founder  of  the  school,  and  the 
date  160^  records  the  date  of  the  founding ;  while 
in  other  parts  of  the  frame  are  disposed  the  arms  of 
Blundell,  the  seal  of  old  Tiverton,  the  arms  of  the 
state  of  New  York,  and  those  of  the  owner.  The 
design  has  been  most  successfully  engraved  by  Mr. 
J.  Gill  of  New  York  City. 

Some  book-lovers  consider  with  good  reason  that 
the  book-plate  should  record  their  own  personal 
likes  and  bents,  their  own  interesting  bits  of  personal 
history,  or  even  their  own  features  for  future,  as 
well  as  present-day,  collectors  to  prize.  Indeed,  the 
portrait  plate  is  altogether  too  uncommon.  Public 
libraries  sometimes  commemorate  the  donor  of  an 
alcove  by  using  his  features  on  the  book-plate,  and 
now  and  then  one  comes  across  an  individual  owner 
who  uses  a  portrait  plate.  It  is  a  custom  that 
should  be  encouraged ;  for  as  the  book-plate  is  seen 
to  reach  its  highest  type  when  made  to  convey 
some  meaning,  it  surely  is  fully  permissible  to  have 
the  face  and  autograph  of  the  bookman  on  his 
own  plate,  which  is  to  mark  his  own  books.  Mr. 
William  H.  Gaylord,  President  of  that  flourishing 
association  of  book-lovers,  the  Rowfant  Club  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  uses  a  plate  which  not  only  shows 
his  features,  but  indicates  in  no  uncertain  way  his 
favorite  habit  of  reading  in  bed.  It  was  the  late 
Eugene  Field,  in  his  delightful  Love  Affairs  of  a 


130  Ex  Libris 

Bibliomaniac^  who  said,  "  I  piled  at  least  twenty 
chosen  volumes  on  the  table  at  the  head  of  my  bed, 
and  I  dare  say  it  was  daylight  when  I  fell  asleep," 
which  he  did,  with  a  copy  of  Villamaria's  fairy  sto- 
ries in  his  hands.  Going  on  to  enlarge  upon  the 
delights  of  reading  in  bed,  the  author  says  :  — 

"...  observation  has  convinced  me  that  all  good  and 
true  book-lovers  practise  the  pleasing  and  improving  avoca- 
tion of  reading  in  bed.  Indeed,  I  fully  believe  with  Judge 
Methuen  that  no  book  can  be  appreciated  until  it  has  been 
slept  with,  and  dreamed  over." 

He  goes  on  to  show  that  Cicero  (not  Kikero)  was  a 
great  bed-reader,  and  he  deduces  the  fact  from  a 
quotation  in  which  occurs  the  word  pernoctant. 

Mr.  Gaylord,  in  casting  about  for  a  subject,  de- 
cided upon  testifying  to  his  personal  endorsement  of 
the  views  of  Field  and  Cicero,  and  he  has  shown  in 
his  exceedingly  interesting  plate  the  attitude  beloved 
of  Field  and  himself,  and  the  words  of  Cicero  by 
Field  believed  to  prove  the  attraction  this  habit  of 
reading  in  bed  had  for  that  worthy  orator.  Field 
pictures  him  unrolling  scroll  after  scroll  of  his  favor- 
ite literature,  as,  propped  up  on  his  couch,  he  only 
stops  to  mutter  maledictions  upon  the  slave  who  has 
let  the  lamp  run  low,  or  has  neglected  to  trim  the 
wick.  In  his  plate,  Mr.  Gaylord  shows  that  he  is 
his  own  torch-bearer,  and,  as  one  glances  about  the 
little  nook,  its  unmistakable  snugness  and  cosiness 
cannot  fail  to  be  apparent.  The  books  of  his  choice 
are  within  reach,  the  fragrant  weed  offers  its  solace, 
and  the  black  night  stays  outside  the  leaded  window, 
peeping  through  at  the  flickering  flame  of  the  dip. 


America  131 

In  the  plate  of  Dr.  J.  M.  Thompson  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  the  observer  will  at  once  note  those  accesso- 
ries which  plainly  denote  the  student  of  medicine, 
the  man  devoted  to  science.  Here  again  is  an 
example  of  a  design  which  carries  with  it  some 
indication  of  the  owner's  bent  of  mind,  which  is  a 
pleasing  thing  to  do  upon  the  book-plate.  This 
is  engraved  by  Richard  Cathie. 

Mr.  Charles  William  Sherborn,  who  is  the  most 
celebrated  living  English  engraver,  has  made  many 
very  charming  book-plates,  and  among  his  many 
customers  have  been  a  very  few  Americans.  Of 
the  few  plates  Mr.  Sherborn  has  made  for  our  coun- 
trymen, one  of  the  most  satisfactory  is  that  for  Mr. 
Harris  C.  Fahnestock  of  New  York  City.  In  this, 
the  spirit  of  literature  stands  by  the  pedestal  on 
which  lies  the  roll  about  to  be  written  upon,  while 
all  about  are  emblems  which  indicate  the  lover  of 
art,  of  music,  and  of  books.  The  motto,  which 
in  translation  reads,  "  Among  the  leaves  the  fruit," 
is  one  of  the  most  fitting  for  a  book-plate. 

In  several  little  etchings,  Mr.  J.  Winfred  Spenceley 
of  Boston  has  shown  himself  adept  at  catching  the 
spirit  of  the  book-plate,  and  of  the  especially  strik- 
ing ones  is  that  used  by  Miss  M.  M.  Sands,  whose 
home  is  by  the  shores  of  Pine  Lake,  Wisconsin,  and 
in  which  is  depicted  just  a  glimpse,  not  unlikely  a 
favorite  view,  of  the  lake  through  the  swaying 
boughs  of  an  old  overhanging  pine.  In  his  own 
plate,  Mr.  Spenceley  has  used  the  heraldic  form 
with  chaste  and  simple  ornamentation. 

Among  the  designers,  etchers,  and  engravers  of 
book-plates  who  have  attained  especial  prominence 


iji  Ex   Libris 

in  this  country,  are  Mr.  W.  F.  Hopson  of  New 
Haven,  Conn,,  Mr.  Edmund  H.  Garrett  of  Win- 
chester, Mass.,  Mr.  Sidney  L.  Smith  of  Boston,  and 
Mr.  Edwin  Davis  French  of  New  York.  City. 

Three  designs  by  Mr.  Hopson  are  given  here, 
each  one  of  them  of  striking  interest  and  eminently 
suited  to  the  purpose  of  the  book-plate,  while  well 
calculated  to  indicate  sufficiently  some  branch  of  the 
owner's  literary  interests.  In  the  plate  of  Mr.  Stod- 
dard, the  medallion  of  Napoleon,  the  rows  of  well- 
filled  book-shelves,  the  horse,  the  dog,  and  the 
glimpse  of  the  sea  furnish  a  clue  to  the  varied  tastes 
of  the  owner;  while  in  the  plate  of  Mrs.  Josephine 
E.  S.  Porter  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  the  showily  dressed 
dame  of  bygone  years,  with  the  peacock  of  vanity, 
will  tell  to  shrewd  eyes  of  the  owner's  interest  in 
the  costumes  of  olden  days.  Indeed,  the  plate  was 
specially  designed  to  be  placed  in  the  owner's  large 
and  valuable  collection  of  books  upon  the  subject 
of  costume.  In  the  plate  of  the  Rev.  Stewart 
Means,  Mr.  Hopson  shows  the  study  of  the  rector 
of  St.  John's  Church  in  New  Haven  with  the  roll- 
ing clouds  now  and  then  disclosing  sufficient  moon- 
light to  enable  one  to  see  the  church  itself.  In  the 
lower  panel  is  the  motto,  which  in  translation  would 
say,  "  Trust  in  the  Lord  and  abide  in  thy  drudg- 
ery." The  books  of  the  student  are  seen,  and  in 
the  procession  just  below  the  book-shelf  the  de- 
signer has  indicated  the  march  of  the  centuries  before 
the  eye  and  mind  of  the  student.  First,  is  the 
primitive  man,  then  Roman  soldiers,  a  monk,  a 
pope,  Luther  the  reformer.  Queen  Elizabeth  with 
her  cavaliers,  Puritans,   Indians,  and  so  on  to  the 


America 


^33 


slave,  and  the  bicycle  rider  of  the  end  of  this  cen- 
tury. A  most  delightful  moonlight  effect  is  diffused 
over  the  whole  plate. 

Mr.  Garrett  is  very  dainty  in  his  imagination, 
very  pleasing  in  his  designing,  and  very  effective  in 
his  manner  of  etching  his  designs.  In  the  two  plates 
given  here,  these  qualities  are  well  indicated.  In 
the  plate  of  Miss  Wheeler  of  Medford,  Mass.,  the 
love  of  books  of  artistic  merit  is  evidenced;  while 
in  the  plate  of  Miss  Norcross  of  Winchester,  Mass., 
one  reads  that  the  owner  of  the  plate  is  fond  of 
flowers,  and  that  she  has  a  library  of  books  devoted 
to  horticulture. 

The  two  charming  plates  designed  and  etched  by 
Mr,  Sidney  L.  Smith  of  Boston,  show  a  really  de- 
lightful use  of  the  emblems  of  the  book-lover  and 
the  student.  Mr.  Chase  is  a  book-collector  of  Bos- 
ton, and  this  effective  bit  of  designing  and  etching 
is  a  most  pleasing  bit  with  which  to  prove  his  owner- 
ship in  many  choice  volumes.  Rev.  J.  B.  Trov  is 
a  book-loving  priest  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
living  at  Norwood,  Mass.,  and  in  his  plate  are  in- 
corporated not  only  the  book-lover's  emblems,  but 
those  of  the  church  as  well.  The  radiant  design 
upon  the  window  will  explain  itself  to  the  close  ob- 
server as  indicating  the  life  of  faith,  the  need  of 
love,  and  the  surety  of  reward,  as  well  as  the 
almighty  power  of  the  Most  High.  On  the  table 
lie  the  biretta  and  the  stole,  indicating  the  practi- 
cal side  of  the  owner's  life,  while  the  globe,  the  lilies, 
and  the  skull  are  adjuncts  of  easily  understood 
meanings.  The  reverend  gentleman  is  a  devoted 
book-collector,  and  has  now  a  library  of  over  three 


134  Ex   Libris 

thousand  volumes,  embracing  all  branches  of  learn- 
ing, science,  art,  and  fiction. 

Of  the  three  plates  by  Mr.  Edwin  Davis  French 
of  New  York  City  which  are  here  represented,  but 
one  is  his  own  design,  and  that  is  the  plate  of  Mr. 
Robert  Sedgwick  of  the  same  city.  While  the 
heraldic  form  is  not  very  generally  used  in  this 
country,  there  are,  as  has  been  said,  a  few  who  have 
an  unquestioned  right  to  show  armorial  bearings, 
and  among  these  are  Mr.  Sedgwick  and  his  wife, 
whose  arms  (Renwick)  are  impaled  with  his.  In 
the  designing  of  heraldic  plates,  it  is  more  than  a 
knack  that  enables  the  engraver  to  relieve  the  plate 
from  being  simply  and  barely  armorial,  and  yet  to 
keep  his  ornamentation  from  overburdening  the 
design.  This  plate  is  most  successful  in  this  very 
particular,  and  furnishes  a  most  rich  and  handsome 
appearance. 

The  plate  of  Mr.  Charles  H.  Taylor,  Jr.,  of  the 
Boston  Globe ^  while  engraved  by  Mr.  French,  is 
after  a  design  by  Mr.  E.  B.  Bird,  a  widely  known 
artist  of  the  same  city.  The  silhouette  landscape  at 
the  top  represents  Copley  Square,  —  a  typical  Boston 
view,  —  and,  as  Mr.  Taylor  is  especially  interested 
in  books  on  Boston,  on  nautical  matters,  and  those 
relating  to  "the  art  preservative  of  arts,"  the  special 
fitness  of  the  hermaphrodite  brig,  the  old  Franklin 
press,  and  the  well-bound  books  will  be  appreciated. 

The  plate  of  Mr.  Theodore  L.  De  Vinne,  the 
famous  printer  of  New  York  City,  was  designed  by 
Mr.  George  Fletcher  Babb,  the  architect,  who  says 
of  his  design  that  "  the  idea  is  the  motto,  with  the 
books  placed  as  has  been  the  custom  in  a  cartouche." 


America  135 

The  decorative  presentment  is  furthered  in  all  details, 
and,  while  the  exact  purpose  of  the  design  may  be 
sHght,  it  has  a  decidedly  sixteenth-century  appear- 
ance, and  will  lead  the  observer  at  once  to  think 
of  Plantin  and  the  Elzevirs,  of  Tory,  Wechel,  and 
the  Stephens.  The  caryatides  were  much  used  by 
Christopher  Plantin  on  his  title-pages,  and  in  this 
plate  for  Mr.  De  Vinne  they  are  intended  to  repre- 
sent History  and  Prose,  while  the  face  at  the  top  is 
that  of  Minerva,  and  at  the  foot  peers  Pan.  This, 
too,  is  engraved  by  Mr.  French. 


Conclusion 

Give  away  a  precious  book  — 

'Tis  hard  to  do  it. 
Trust  it  even  for  a  time  — 

Too  oft  you  rue  it. 
Lend  it  to  the  first  that  asks. 

Should  you  care  about  it. 
Is  worse  than  giving  it  away 

And  doing  once  for  all  without  it. 
Hence,  sirs,  you  see,  I  scarce  pretend 
My  books  to  trust  or  give,  still  less  to  lend. 

(Inscription  from  the  library  of 

Don  Juan  Arbel  of  Mexico. ) 


CONCLUSION 

HE  who  would  own  a  collection  of  book- 
plates to-day  can  choose  among  several 
ways  of  going  about  it.  He  can  buy  en 
bloc  in  the  auction  room  when  some  large 
collection  comes  under  the  hammer;  he  may  arrange 
with  some  willing  collector  to  take  over  the  entire 
results  of  his  long-continued  effort ;  he  may  purchase, 
as  opportunity  offers,  from  the  dealer  in  plates ;  or 
he  may  eschew  all  these  modes  of  advantaging  him- 
self upon  the  labors  of  others,  and,  despising  the 
aid  of  the  pocket-book,  may  elect  to  rummage  for 
himself  among  the  old  books  of  the  second-hand 
shop  or  in  the  library  of  his  friend.  The  true  instinct 
leads  one  to  rummaging  as  the  most  enjoyable,  as  well 
as  the  most  satisfactory,  method.  No  one  who  is 
not  a  lover  of  books  will  have  the  proper  relish  for 
the  book-plate.  Only  he  who  knows  the  delights 
of  the  book-hunter  will  appreciate  those  of  the 
hunter  after  plates,  and  why  it  is  so  much  more  to 
be  desired  that  one  should  discover  for  himself  than 
that  he  should  buy  the  discoveries  of  others.  Not 
that  the  collection  purchased  is  necessarily  of  less 
actual  value  than  the  one  brought  together  by  patient 
and  industrious  effort,  but  that  in  the  latter  there  is 
somehow   a    reason   for    pride  and   satisfaction   not 

139 


140  Ex   Librls 

easily  expressed,   perhaps,   though    understood    in- 
deed by  many. 

To  know  some  quiet  little  shop  on  a  back  street, 
whose  front  displays  naught  save  a  few  boxes  of 
dilapidated  volumes  labelled  "  These  for  five  cents," 
and  never-washed  windows  full  of  books  and  maga- 
zines, whose  floors  and  walls,  however,  are  filled  with 
dusty  rows  of  books  seldom  opened,  almost  forgotten 
by  their  owner,  whose  probable  business  it  is  to  sell 
them,  but  who  apparently  has  no  other  purpose  in 
life  than  to  stack  them  upon  his  floors  and  shelves, 
—  to  know  such  a  place  where  quiet  reigns,  where 
the  smell  of  powdered  leather  mingles  with  the  cloud 
of  dust  upraised  by  each  overturning  of  a  volume,  and 
to  be  allowed  to  go  through  the  piles  of  ponderous 
tomes,  the  packs  of  little  i2mos,  and  the  boxes  of 
loosened  prints,  is  to  know  a  rare  delight,  and  one  ap- 
preciated of  the  few.  Here,  in  this  quiet  sanctum, 
one  may  revel  to  his  heart's  content,  unmindful  of 
the  passing  hours,  as  with  eager  hands  he  opens 
cover  after  cover,  peering  at  title-page  and  fly-leaf 
in  search  of  some  coveted  volume  or  some  hoped- 
for  book-plate. 

There  is  something  in  the  very  air  of  such  a  place 
from  which  one  takes  in  delight  and  inspiration. 
Stufiy  it  may  be,  hot  well-nigh  to  sufix)cation,  and 
yet  free  from  that  enervating  influence  the  most 
costly  decorated  drawing-room  may  diffuse.  Here 
lying  about  are  the  works  of  the  old  masters  of  the 
pen  or  of  the  graver;  here  lie  in  close  friendship 
great  souls  whose  very  books  seem  to  edge  up  to- 
gether with  a  fondness  for  congenial  company  not 
to  be  overlooked.     And  here,  among  those  old  vol- 


Conclusion  141 

umes,  with  the  sentiments  they  cause  to  rise  filHng 
the  heart,  the  book-hunter  resorts  daily  until  he  has 
turned  over  the  entire  stock  and  has  found  every 
treasure  the  place  contains.  Not  a  book  untouched, 
not  a  box  of  prints  unnoticed,  and,  in  the  end,  the 
satisfaction  of  having  dug  up  for  himself  some 
treasures  he  will  never  lose  his  interest  in.  He 
comes  out  of  his  lair  with  black  hands  and  soiled 
coat,  with  pockets  bulging,  and  arms  filled  with 
books  which  leave  their  mark  upon  his  sleeve;  but 
of  how  little  consequence,  how  trifling  the  incon- 
venience, when  he  thinks  of  what  he  has  found,  and 
of  what  it  means  to  him. 

Hunting  here  one  day,  it  may  be  that  he  has  turned 
up  an  old  volume  of  sermons,  the  work  of  a  New 
England  divine  of  bygone  years  and  memory,  but  of 
sometime  reputation;  for  within  its  cover  lies  pasted 
the  book-plate  of  a  man  of  fame  in  the  old  colonial 
times.  His  was  the  book  now  brought  to  light,  and 
his  was  the  plate  now  first  to  be  made  known  to  the 
world  of  collectors.  With  what  a  trembling  of  de- 
light the  hunter  discovers  the  real  worth  of  what  he 
has  upturned!  Not  Columbus,  in  his  moment  of 
victory,  knew  a  richer  feeling  than  this  which  warms 
the  heart  of  the  bibliophile.  Ah,  this  delight  of  the 
book-lover,  which  only  the  initiated  can  understand  ! 
This  thrill  which  mounts  in  his  heart  when,  having 
gotten  his  treasures  together  and  finding  them  suffi- 
cient to  fill  a  case,  he  has  one  made  to  suit  his  taste, 
and  then  stands  before  it  —  the  holder  of  his  precious 
store  of  books  —  and  runs  his  eyes  over  the  well- 
known  titles,  taking  in  an  epitome  of  its  contents,  or 
recalling  some  favorite  lines  from   its   pages  as  he 


142  Ex  Librls 

recognizes  each  particular  volume !  On  the  upper 
shelves  mayhap  some  volumes  labelled  "  Facetias  " 
in  the  booksellers'  catalogues,  i2mos  black  and 
ragged  with  age,  thumbed  if  you  will  with  years  of 
reading,  find  resting-place,  and  on  the  lower  ranges 
chosen  editions  of  classic  writers,  —  Horace,  Petrarch, 
and  Shakespeare,  Chaucer,  Goethe,  and  De  Foe,  — 
some  choice  bindings,  a  book  once  owned  by  Grolier, 
another  of  Maioli's,  —  princes  among  collectors  they, 

—  rich  devises  of  the  early  centuries  as  well  as  of  the 
later,  in  gold  tooling  and  blind,  romance  and  poetry, 
samples  of  printing  by  Aldus  Manutius  and  Caxton, 
an  early  Bible  or  two,  and  some  works  on  art,  and 
books  of  reference  here  and  there,  with  engravings 
by  famous  men,  —  Diirer,  Piranezi,  or  Bartolozzi, 

—  old  maps  too,  and  often  within  the  book-covers  a 
book-plate  telling  of  the  aforetime  owner, —  George 
Washington  perchance,  matchless  Davy  Garrick,  or 
book-devouring  Dibdin. 

This  ready  surge  of  delectation  never  fully  sub- 
sides. It  reaches  its  lowest  ebb  when  sleep  over- 
takes the  tired  bibliophile,  but  in  his  dreams  it  is 
still  with  him.  It  rises  with  him  in  the  morning, 
and,  warm  comforter,  accompanies  him  through  all 
the  daylight  hours,  returning  with  him  at  night  to 
his  study,  there  again  to  mount  to  its  fullest  tide. 
Other  pleasures  there  be,  —  of  friends,  of  converse,  of 
seeing  and  listening,  —  but  under  them  all,  tempering 
all  and  finally  excluding  all,  lies  this  love  of  books. 
It  so  takes  hold  of  its  marked  victim  that  he  can 
hardly  tarry  for  his  morning  meal,  and  the  affairs 
of  the  world,  as  narrated  in  newspaper  and  magazine 
or  as  related  to  him  by  those  of  his  own  household, 


Conclusion  143 

appear  so  inconsequential  as  to  seem  a  strange  oc- 
cupation for  any  mind.  Forgetful  of  engagements,  he 
hurries  to  the  auction  room  that  he  may  measure  a 
"  tall  copy  "  of  Malory,  revels  in  the  old  morocco 
and  calf  bindings,  the  rough  edges  of  the  really 
hand-made  paper,  and  the  elegant  "  states  "  of  the 
engravings  within  these  exquisite  covers,  and  enters 
into  an  exciting  contest  for  the  possession  of  an 
early  edition  of  Poe,  a  rare  Franklin  imprint,  or  a 
book  containing  a  book-plate  by  Paul  Revere,  with 
all  the  zest  of  the  competitor  for  the  highest  honors. 

Little  regarding  the  flight  of  time,  he  piles  his 
purchases  before  him,  excitedly  marks  the  prices  in 
his  catalogue,  and  bids  with  belligerent  gesticulation 
as  the  struggle  for  the  chef-d' ceuvre  thickens  and 
rolls  about  him.  Finally,  the  sale  ended,  with 
pocket  and  arms  full,  with  spots  of  rubbed  sheep- 
skin on  overcoat  and  face,  he  gaily  trudges  home- 
ward, pleasure  depicted  upon  his  countenance,  and 
a  keen  delight  making  his  heart  glad  within  him. 
These  be  the  delights  into  which  the  lover  of  books 
and  the  real  appreciator  of  book-plates  becomes 
initiated,  —  preoccupation  and  inward  reflection;  vis- 
ions of  shelves  which  the  future  will  fill;  the  smell 
and  the  feeling  of  levant  or  full  russia,  the  quip  and 
the  jape  of  the  old  raconteur.  The  passer-by  may 
fail  to  comprehend;  those  may  be  found  who  spurn 
the  quiet  and  unsubstantial  appearance  of  his  pleas- 
ures, and  to  whom  his  rows  of  folios,  quartos,  octa- 
vos, and  duodecimos  seem  but  stufi^  and  lumber. 
Let  be.      Vita  sine  Uteris  mors  est. 

These,  then,  are  the  means  by  which  collections 
are  formed,  and  be  it  known  when  one  has  begun 


144  Ex   Libris 

collecting,  he  quickly  finds  himself  with  some  du- 
plicates on  hand  which  immediately  bring  him  into 
contact  with  other  collectors,  opening  the  way  for 
exchanges  to  their  mutual  advantage.  And  it  may 
be  said  that  among  collectors  there  are  not  a  few 
who  affect  to  despise  the  notion  of  selling  a  plate, 
and  who  augment  their  collections  only  by  personal 
and  oft-repeated  search  among  the  book-shops,  or 
by  the  exchange  of  specimens.  As  the  hobby  is 
fully  established,  there  is  now  no  need  to  apologize 
for  it,  as  once  there  may  have  been;  still  one  can 
hardly  pass  the  fling  of  Mr.  Andrew  Lang  without 
a  word  of  protest.  Mr.  Lang,  a  prince  of  objec- 
tors, writes  as  follows :  "  The  antiquarian  ghoul 
steals  title-pages  and  colophons.  The  aesthetic 
ghoul  cuts  illuminated  initials  out  of  manuscripts. 
The  petty,  trivial,  and  almost  idiotic  ghoul  of  our 
own  days  sponges  the  fly-leaves  and  boards  of 
books  for  the  purpose  of  cribbing  the  book-plates." 
With  all  the  interests  which  cluster  about  book- 
plates, with  their  long  line  of  descent  ranging 
through  four  hundred  years,  and  with  the  daily  in- 
creasing number  of  scholars  and  gentlemen  of  edu- 
cated and  refined  tastes  who  number  themselves 
among  the  collectors  of  book-plates  in  mind,  one 
feels  that  these  sour  words  are  unmerited  and  un- 
harmful. 

Among  the  faults  of  the  owner  of  the  book-plate 
may  be  mentioned  a  fondness  for  appropriating 
what  he  deems  desirable  in  the  plate  of  another. 
This  kind  of  piracy  extends  to  the  use  of  designs 
made  by  the  engravers  of  past  centuries,  to  the 
actual  use  of  title-pages,   frontispieces,  illustrations. 


Conclusion  145 

and  vignettes  found  in  books  of  present  or  past 
times  which  are  of  sufficient  artistic  merit  to  recom- 
mend themselves  for  the  purpose  named.  There  is 
known  a  plate  used  by  one  G.  Fage  which  was 
either  made  over  upon  the  very  copper  engraved 
by  William  Marshall  as  a  frontispiece  to  the  second 
part  of  Quarles'  Emblems^  published  in  1635,  ^'^  ^^^ 
copied  from  it  in  a  very  accurate  manner.  Then, 
too,  there  is  the  charming  little  interior  book-plate 
of  J.  Burton,  D.D,,  who  was  Professor  of  Greek  at 
Oxford,  —  designed  by  the  great  French  designer  and 
engraver  Gravelot,  undoubtedly  during  the  term  of 
his  residence  in  London,  and  which  was  engraved 
by  John  Pine,  who  made  the  large  and  handsome 
gift-plate  for  Cambridge  University  Library,  which 
was  copied  by  one  Wadham  Wyndham,  who  took 
the  design  entire  and  reversed  it.  This  plate  was 
again  borrowed  by  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of 
Thomas  Gaisford,  who  restored  it  to  its  original 
form  as  used  by  Burton.  In  these  alterations  to 
suit  its  different  owners,  there  was  of  necessity  some 
change  in  the  lettering  on  the  plate,  but  the  design 
itself  was  adopted  in  toto.  This  branch  of  plagia- 
rism is  one  of  extreme  interest,  and  the  history  of 
which  could  be  extended  to  fill  many  pages;  for  the 
designs  which  have  done  service  for  different  fan- 
ciers of  their  appearance  are  many.  There  is  a 
plate  of  one  Guilbal,  dated  1775,  which  was  bor- 
rowed by  some  one  of  the  name  of  D'Artus.  There 
was  a  very  fine  medical  plate  used  by  Lamarre, 
which  Dr.  Clouet  considered  worthy  of  using  in  his 
books,  and  the  library  interior  plate  of  Amaderi 
Lullin  has  been  conveyed  by  many  delighted  book- 


146  Ex   Libris 

lovers.  There  is  a  plate  generally  ascribed  to  Ho- 
garth, which  has  been  used  many  times  over,  and  is 
even  now  in  use  by  a  prominent  collector  in  Eng- 
land, whose  initials  happen  exactly  to  fit  those  of  its 
first  owner.  A  curious,  and  not  easily  explained, 
duplication  of  a  book-plate  design  occurs  in  the 
plate  of  John  Franklin.  This  exceedingly  inter- 
esting and  rare  plate  was  engraved  by  James  Turner, 
the  American  engraver,  of  whose  life  we  have  but 
the  most  meagre  details,  but  who  is  known  to  have 
engraved  as  early  as  17 15,  for  there  are  books  of 
music  printed  by  J.  Franklin  which  he  engraved, 
and  who,  about  the  year  1730,  went  to  Philadelphia 
and  there  continued  in  his  chosen  profession.  Re- 
cently there  came  to  notice  the  English  book-plate 
of  one  William  Strode,  dated  1730,  which  is  exactly 
like  the  Franklin,  except  in  the  heraldic  emblems 
and  in  one  or  two  minor  points  in  the  ornamenta- 
tion of  the  frame.  Evidently  the  Strode  plate  is 
of  later  date  than  the  Franklin,  but  the  interesting 
question  arises  as  to  how  it  came  to  follow  so 
closely  the  other.  Did  Strode  come  to  America 
and  while  here  employ  Turner  to  make  his  book- 
plate, or  are  both  of  these  plates  copied  from  some 
earlier  and  not  yet  discovered  design?  Quite  re- 
cently in  this  country,  a  very  handsome  plate  was 
suppressed  because  of  its  strong  resemblance  to  the 
cover  of  a  magazine  drawn  by  Will  H.  Low. 

In  the  foregoing  pages,  he  who  reads  may  find 
some  bit  of  information,  not  necessarily  new,  but 
here  in  a  new  connection  and  which  by  this  very 
fact  may  appeal  with  an  added  interest.  Many 
names   have   been  brought  together  here,   and  the 


Conclusion  147 

only  bond  between  some  is  the  simple  one  of  hav- 
ing used  a  book-plate.  It  must  be  confessed  that 
to  see  these  words  gives  one  a  feeling  that,  after  all, 
it  forms  but  a  delicate  line  upon  which  to  string 
what  has  been  written.  Still,  to  the  collector  of 
whatever  kind,  his  own  particular  point  of  view  is 
the  one  from  which  he  views  the  world,  and  into 
the  focus  of  which  he  draws  all  that  appeals  to 
him.  So  with  the  book-plate  collector;  from  his 
point  of  view  the  book-plate  links  countries,  gov- 
ernments, and  individuals  between  whom  in  the  life 
may  have  been  bitterest  feeling,  strongest  opposi- 
tion. It  is  from  a  calm  and  consciously  safe  retreat 
that  the  collector  looks  out  over  the  world  as  he 
turns  the  pages  of  his  albums,  and  brings  to  mind 
the  faded  beauties  of  the  court,  the  dead  wits,  the 
buried  monarchs.  For  him,  they  live  again ;  for  him, 
they  once  more  enact  the  bloody  deed,  the  splendid 
pageant;  for  him,  they  once  again  display  their  loves 
and  crimes,  their  faults  and  graces,  once  more  their 
voices  utter  sweet  nothings,  command  armies,  pro- 
voke gay  laughter.  Thus,  then,  does  the  collector 
find  a  true  delight  in  preserving  his  memorials  of 
the  past,  and  a  pleasure  in  showing  to  such  others 
as  care  to  see,  the  charm  of  the  book-plate. 

Charles  Dexter  Allen  his  my  name 
America  my  nation.      Hartford 
is  my  dwelling  Place  and  Christ 
is  my  Salvation,     the  grass  is  green 
the  Rose  is  Red  and  here  is  my 
Book  when  I  am  Ded. 


ROliERT  SEDGWICK.    | 


~.T>.Tr>'ti^/rrf.  IBJ 


Index 


Abbey,  Edwin  A.,  xxviii. 

Abercrombie,  Dr.  James,  97. 

Adams,  John,  98,  100,  119. 

Adams,  John  Couch,  73. 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  no,  119. 

Adelaide,  Madame,  16. 

d'Ailebout,  Charles,  14. 

Aitkin,  Robert,  102. 

Albany,  Countess  of,  70. 

d'Alboise,  Charles,  14. 

Aldrich,  Thomas  Bailey,  xxxiv. 

Aifieri,  70. 

All  Souls'  College  (Oxford),  80. 

Allen,  Isaiah,  113. 

Alsop,  113. 

Altdorf,  University  of,  5. 

American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sci- 
ences, 116,  123. 

American  Philosophical  Society,  97. 

Amman,  Jost,  xv. 

Anderson,  Alexander,  xxxi,  124. 

Andr6,  Major,  in. 

Anstey,  Christopher,  64. 

Antwerp,  4. 

Apprentices'  Library  (Philadelphia) , 
104. 

Apthorp,  East,  119. 

Archer,  91. 

Armistead,  91. 

Armstrong,  General,  108. 

Arnold,  106. 

Ashurst,  Benjamin,  53. 

Ashwell,  Charles,  124. 

Assheton,  William,  124. 

Atkinson,  Buddie,  42. 

Atkinson,  Theodore,  114. 

Atlee,  William  Augustus,  102. 

Audran,  xix. 

August,  Prince  of  Prussia,  23. 

Austin,  Charles,  121. 

Autun,  Bishop  of,  14. 

Aylesford,  Earl  of,  40. 

B 

B.,  Madame  L.,  30. 

Babb,  George  Fletcher,  134. 


Bacon,  55. 

Bacon,  Sir  Francis,  xxi. 

Bacon,  Sir  Nicholas,  xxi. 

Bagford,  John,  34. 

Baillie,  43. 

Bancker,  102. 

Bancroft,  George,  xxxiv. 

Barbadoes,  Governor  of,  125. 

Bard,  Dr.  Samuel,  112. 

Barrel!,  Joseph,  119. 

Barrett,  Wilson,  79. 

Bartolozzi,  xxvii,  42,  142. 

Bartram,  John,  99. 

Basire,  42. 

Bastille,  Chateau  de  la,  xix. 

Bath,  Lord,  58. 

Bavaria,  9. 

Bavaria,  Electoral  Library  of,  2. 

Bayard,  93. 

Beaconsfield,  Earl  of,  78. 

Beatty,  Dr.  John,  102. 

Beaufort,  Duchess  of,  xxvii. 

Becat,  H.,  19. 

Beete,  Joseph,  124. 

Beham,  Hans  Sebald,  xv. 

Belcher,  Jonathan,  119. 

Bell,  R.  Anning,  83,  84. 

Bellenden,  Mary,  58. 

Beniwalt,  Baldasser  de  Walestat,  3. 

Bentley,  Richard,  xxvi. 

Beresford,  Richard,  94. 

Berkeley,  38. 

Berlin,  7. 

Berry,  Agnes,  xxvi,  53,  57. 

Berry,  Mary,  60. 

de  Berry,  Duchesse,  26. 

Besant,  Sir  Walter,  xxvi,  77. 

Bessborough,  Lady,  xxvii,  42. 

Beverley,  43,  91. 

Bewick,  Thomas,  x.wii,  41,  42,  66. 

Bibliotheque  Nationale,  15. 

Bigot,  Emeric,  xviii. 

Bird,  E.  B.,  134. 

Blake,  46. 

Blake,  William,  42. 

Blanc,  William,  124. 

Blenman,  Jonatlian,  124. 

Blessington,  Lady,  xxvi,  61. 


149 


I50 


Index 


"Bloody  Monday"  (Boston),  121. 

Bloomfield,  Major  Joseph,  93. 

Bloom  field,  Robert,  63. 

Blundell,  Peter,  128. 

Boccaccio,  67. 

de  Boissy,  Marquis,  62. 

Boiling,  91. 

Bonaparte,  Lucien,  xx,  24. 

de  Bonncmains,  Vicomtesse,  29. 

Borden,  Ann,  98. 

Boston  Architectural  Library,  123. 

Boston  Shakespeare  Circulating  Li- 
brary, 123. 

Boston  Social  Law  Library,  123. 

"  Boston  Tea-party,"  121. 

Boucher,  xix. 

Boudinot,  Elias,  100. 

Boulanger,  General,  29. 

Bouvenne,  Aglaus,  27. 

Bowdoin,  James,  119. 

Bowdoin  College,  122,  123. 

Bowen,  Abel,  124. 

Boyd,  John,  124. 

Boylston  Medical  College,  123. 

Bozman,  John  Leeds,  92. 

Brand,  John,  xxvi. 

Brandenburg,  Hildebrande,  xiii. 

Brearly,  David,  93. 

Breiner,  Count  Max  Louis,  xvi. 

de  Brettville,  Madame,  21. 

de  Broglie,  Prince,  loi. 

Brookficld,  Mrs.,  74. 

Brothers  in  Unity  (Yale  College),  114. 

Brown,  James  Roberts,  82. 

Brown,  Sir  William,  36. 

Buck,  John  H.,  126,  128. 

Buckle,  Henry  Thomas,  xxvi. 

Buffalo  Society  of  Artists,  xxxv. 

Bull.  113. 

Burdett,  68, 

Burlington  (England)  Fine  Arts  So- 
ciety, 80. 

Burnes,  Chevalier  James,  65. 

Burnett,  Gilbert,  33. 

Burns,  Robert,  64. 

Burr,  Aaron,  106. 

Burton,  J.,  D.D.,  145. 

Burton,  Richard,  xxvi. 

Bute,  Lord,  50. 

Byam,  Francis,  124. 

Byrd,  Colonel  William,  92. 

Byron,  Lord,  23,  68. 


Cabell,  91. 
Caen,  21. 
Caine,  Hall,  79. 


Calcutta,  Bishop  of,  77. 
Callender,  Joseph,  xxxi,  123,  124. 
Calvert,  93. 

Cambridge  University,  36. 
Cambridge  University  Library,  145. 
Campbell,  Donald,  124. 
Campbell,  Thomas,  66,  68. 
de  Canino,  Prince,  xx. 
Carlyle,  Thomas,  xxvi,  72. 
Carmichael,  Hon.  William,  92. 
Caroline,  Princess,  36. 
Carpenters'     Co.     Library     (Philadel- 
phia), 104. 
Carroll  of  CarroUton,  93. 
Cary,  64,  91. 
Cathie,  Richard,  131. 
Caxton,  142. 
Ceracchi,  55. 
Chalmers,  93. 
"  Cham  of  Literature,"  49. 
Chandler,  Gardiner,  117. 
Charles  L,  47. 
Charles  Vn.,  17,  18. 
Charles  X.,  26. 
Chase,  Samuel,  93. 
Chase,  William  H.,  133. 
Chatham,  Lord,  55. 
Chaucer,  142. 
Chester,  John,  113. 
Chesterfield,  Lord,  xxvi,  52,  53,  58. 
Chevalier,  Madeline  C,  84. 
Chippendale,  T.,  xxiv. 
Chodowiecki,  Daniel  Nikolaus,  7,  8. 
Christina  of  Sweden,  xvii,  15. 
Clarke,  Charles  Cowden,  xxvi. 
Cleveland,  Stephen,  119. 
Clinton,  De  Witt,  106. 
Clive,  Lord,  log. 
Clouet,  Dr.,  145. 
Clulow,  Ethel  Selina,  80. 
Coffin,  Hector,  iig. 
Cotiin,  Sir  Isaac,  119. 
Coffin,  Pine,  119. 
Golden,  Cadvvallader,  106,  107. 
Colle,  24. 

Colvin,  Sidney,  81. 
Comte  de  Paris,  29. 
Connecticut  Historical  Society,  114. 
Connecticut  Theological  Institute,  114. 
Constable,  William,  no. 
Conway,  Anna  (Darner),  54. 
Conway,  Charles,  43. 
Cook,  Captain,  49. 
Cooper,  Myles,  no. 
Copley,  118. 

de  Cojjpet,  Bibliotheque,  21. 
Coram,  Thomas,  122. 


Index 


MI 


Corday,  Charlotte,  21. 
Corneille,  21. 
Cosway,  54. 

Cowper,  Lady  Mary,  36. 
Cowper,  Spencer,  35. 
Cowper,  William  (poet),  63. 
Cowper,   William    (Clerk    of    Parlia- 
ments), 35. 
Cranach,  Louis,  xv. 
Cranch,  Richard,  119. 
Cruikshank,  55. 

Custis,  George  Washington  Parke,  91. 
Cutting,  no. 
Cuyler,  no. 

D 

Darner,  Anna,  xxvi,  53-57. 

Damer,  George,  55. 

Dana,  Francis,  116. 

Dana,  Richard  Henry,  116. 

Danforth,  Dr.  Samuel,  116. 

Darch,  43. 

Dartmouth  College,  123. 

D'Artus,  145. 

Darwin,  56. 

Dawkins,  Henry,  xxx,  xxxi,  97,  98,  124. 

Dearborn,  Nathaniel,  124. 

Dedham  Scripture  Study  Society,  123. 

De  Foe,  142. 

De  la  Gordette,  21. 

Delaval,  Sir  Francis  Drake,  45. 

Delaval,  Sir  John  Hussey,  47. 

Delft,  4. 

Denison,  Colonel  George,  127. 

De  Peyster,  no. 

Dering,  Thomas,  xxxi. 

De  Vinne,  Theodore  L.,  134,  135. 

De  Witt,  no. 

Dexter,  Samuel,  119,  121. 

Dibdin,  Thomas  Frognall,  xxvi,  71, 142. 

Dickens,  Charles,  xxvi,  61. 

Dickinson,  Aunt  Hannah,  121. 

Dilke,  Sir  Charles,  27. 

Dinwiddle,  Sir  Robert,  43-45,  91. 

Dinwithie,  Alleyn,  44. 

Disraeli,  Benjamin,  xxvi,  78. 

Dobson,  Austin,  52,  76. 

Dodsley,  64. 

Dongan,  Governor,  112. 

Doolittle,  Amos,  xxxi,  xxxii,  114,  124. 

Dove,  91. 

Drayton,  Jacob,  94. 

Drury  Lane  Theatre,  46. 

Drj'den,  62. 

Duane,  no. 

du  Barry,  Comptesse,  xix. 


Dubuisson,  24. 
Dudley,  Joseph,  xxx,  119. 
Duer,  Colonel  William,  109,  no. 
Dumeresque,  Philip,  116. 
Dummer,  Jeremiah,  119. 
Dunmore,  Murray,  Earl  of,  91. 
Diirer,  Albrecht,  xv,  xxxiv,  4,  142 
Duvall,  93. 


East   Windsor   Literary   Association, 

1:4. 
Edgar,  William,  93. 
Edgworth,  Richard  Lovell,  xxvi. 
Edward  L,  44. 
Edwards,  Bryan,  124. 
Edwards,  George  Wharton,  xxxv. 
Edwards,  Isaac,  93. 
Elizabeth,  Queen,  xxi. 
Ellery,  William,  116. 
Ely,  Lord  Bishop  of,  37. 
Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo,  119. 
Emerson,  Rev.  William,  119. 
Empress  of  Germany,  10. 
d'Eon,  Chevalier,  21. 
Evarts,  Jeremiah,  120. 
Eve,  George  W.,  81. 
Everett,  Edward,  120. 
Ex  Libris  Society  (London),  126. 


Fage,  G.,  145. 

Fahnestock,  Harris  C,  131. 

Fairfax,  Bryan,  90. 

Fairfax,  George  William,  90. 

Fairman,  Gideon,  124. 

Faithorne,  William,  xxvii. 

Farmington  (Conn.)  Library,  104,  114. 

"  Father  Prout,"  xxvi. 

Fauquier,  Francis,  91. 

Ferdinand  L,  26. 

Ferguson,  Hugh,  99. 

Fermor,  39. 

Fevart,  24. 

Field,  Eugene,  129. 

Fish,  no. 

Fisher,  93. 

Fitzgerald,  Edward,  xxvii,  74. 

Fitzhugh,  91. 

Flaxman,  43. 

Forman,  General,  93. 

Forstcr,  John,  xxvi,  61. 

Fox,  Charles  James,  56,  57. 

Frampton,  Christabel  A.,  84. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  113,  143. 


152 


Index 


Franklin,  John,  xxviii,  146. 

Fraunces,  no. 

French,  Edwin  Davis,  xxxiv,  106,  132, 

134.  135- 
Furnass,  [ohn  Mason,  124. 
Fust,  Sir  Francis,  38. 


Gaisford,  145. 

Gallaudet,  Edward,  124. 

Gallaudet,  Elisha,  124. 

Gallaudet,  Susan  Denison  (Mrs.  E.  M.) 

126-128. 
Gambetta.  Leon,  xx,  27. 
Gamble,  Ellis,  50. 
Gardiner,  John,  112. 
Gardiner,  Lion,  112. 
Gardiner's  Island,  in,  112. 
Garrett,    Edmund    H.,    xxx,  43,   132, 

133. 
Garrick,   David,  xxvi,  48,  49,  56,  58, 

142. 
Gates,  General,  102. 
Gautier,  Th6ophile,  xx,  28. 
Gaylord,  William  H.,  129. 
George  L,  35-37. 
George  IIL,  46,  56. 
Germain,  Lady  Betty,  xxvii,  38. 
Gibbon,  xxvi,  23. 
Gibbs,  John  Walters,  94. 
Gill,  J.,  129. 
Gladstone,  xxvi,  76. 
Godwin,  Abraham,  124. 
Goelet,  no. 
Goethe,  142. 

de  Goncourt,  the  brothers,  xx. 
Goodwin,  113. 
Gore,  Christopher,  121. 
Gosse,  Edmund,  xxvi,  xxviii,  74,  76. 
Gracie,  no. 

Graduates*  Club  (New  Haven),  xxxv. 
Graeme,  Elizabeth,  99. 
Graeme,  Ur.  Thomas,  99. 
Gravelot,  145. 
Greenaway,  Kate,  jj. 
Greene,  Benjamin,  116. 
Greene,  David,  117. 
Greene,  General,  no. 
Greene,  Miss,  xxvii. 
Gribelin,  Simon,  xxvii. 
Grolier,  Jean,  xxix,  13,  25,  142. 
Grolier  Club,  xxxv. 
Gueulctte,  Thomas  Simon,  19. 
Guiccioli,  Countess,  61,  62,  69. 
Guilbal,  145. 
Guilford  (Conn.)  Library,  114. 


H 


Haggard,  Rider,  78. 

Hale,  Robert,  n6. 

Halifax,  Lord  Charles,  62. 

Hall,  Thomas,  94. 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  100,  106. 

Hamilton,  Waiter,  24. 

Hamilton,  William,  102. 

Hancock,  Governor  Thomas,  117. 

Handel,  122. 

Harison,  no. 

Harley,  Robert,  xxvi,  33. 

Harris,  S.,  124. 

Harrison,  Charles  P.,  124. 

Hartford  (Conn.)  Library  Co.,  114. 

Harvard  College,  116,  121,  123. 

Hasty  Pudding  Club,  123. 

Haverhill  (Mass.)  Library,  123. 

Hayne,  Isaac,  94. 

Hay  ward,  Thomas,  94. 

Head,  loi. 

Heber,  Reginald,  "jj, 

Heming,  Samuel,  124. 

Henri  II.,  xix. 

Hervey,  Lady,  58-60. 

Hervey,  Lord,  52. 

Hildebrandt,  Ad.  M.,  xvii. 

Hill,  Samuel,  124. 

Hoare,  Charles,  57. 

Hoare,  Sir  Richard  Colt,  57. 

Hoffman,  127. 

Hogarth,    William,     xxvii,    50,     122, 

146. 
Holbein,  xv. 
Holland,  John,  50. 
Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell,  xxxiv. 
von    Holstein,    Eric     Magnus    Stael, 

23- 
Holyoke,  Edward  Augustus,  120. 
Hooper,  William,  93,  116. 
Hopkinson,  Francis,  98,  99. 
Hopkinson,  Joseph,  99. 
Hopkinson,  Mary,  97. 
Hopson,  W.  F.,  xxxv,  132. 
Horace,  142. 

Howard,  Dr.  Joseph  Jackson,  xxiii. 
Huet,  Pierre  Daniel,  15. 
Hugar,  43. 
Hugo,  Victor,  xx,  27. 
Hume,  David,  54. 
Hunt,  68. 

Hunter,  Robert,  125. 
Huntington,  Selina,  Countess  of,  xxvii. 
Hurd,   Nathaniel,   xxxi,  115,  119,  122, 

124. 
Hutton,  Laurence,  xxxiv,  xxxv,  120, 


Index 


^53 


I 

Iconophiles,  Society  of  (New  York), 

io6. 
Ingersoll,  113. 
Inglis,  Alexander,  94. 
Inglis,  Emsley,  76. 
Innes,  Colonel,  93. 
Iredell,  James,  93. 
Ireland,  xxvi. 

Irving,  Sir  Henry,  xxvi,  76,  77. 
Italy,  XX. 

J 

Jackson,  Jonathan,  116. 

Jamaica,  Bishop  of,  125. 

James  II.,  39. 

Jarvis,  113. 

Jauncey,  no. 

Jay,  III. 

Jefferson,  100. 

Jeffreys,  Lady  Henrietta  Louisa,  39. 

Jeffreys,  Lord  George,  39,  66. 

Jeffries,  John,  120. 

Jenkins,  Miss,  xx,  iii. 

Jenkins,  Robert,  117. 

Jesuits,  College  of  (Paris),  15. 

Joan  of  Arc,  17,  18. 

Johnson,  Edward,  126. 

Johnson,  Dr.  Samuel,  xxx,  49,  62,  64. 

Johnson,  Thomas,  124. 

Johnston,  Robert,  94. 

Joseph,  Samuel  S.,  81. 

Josephine,  Empress,  xx. 

de  Joubert,  16,  17. 

Jumel,  Stephen,  105. 

K 

Karr,  Alphonse,  24. 

Kearney,  Francis,  124. 

Keith,  William,  102. 

Kemble,  Peter,  93. 

Kerr,  93. 

Kilian,  Wolfgang,  xv. 

Kingsley,  Charles,  69. 

Kip,  III. 

Kipling,  Rudyard,  73. 

Kissam,  in. 

Kneller,  122. 

Knox,  William  George,  125. 


Lacroix,  Paul,  28. 
Lake  Leman,  23. 
Lamarche,  20. 
Lamarre,  145. 


Lamartine,  91. 
Lambart,  George,  50. 
Lambert,  Mark,  xxvii,  41,  42. 
Lang,  Andrew,  144. 
Lardner,  Lynford,  102. 
Lausanne,  4. 
Lavoisier,  20. 
Lee,  91. 

Le  Faucheux,  xix. 
Le  Gascon,  13. 
Legal,  Francis,  53,  57. 
Legros,  Alphonse,  27. 
Leigh,  Augusta,  68. 
Leighton,  John,  xxvii. 
Lepel,  Molly,  58. 
Leverrier,  73. 
Lewis,  Morgan,  102. 
Leyden,  4. 
Lightfoot,  91. 

Linonian  Society  (Yale  College),  114. 
Livingston,  107. 
Livingston,  Brockholst,  108. 
Livingston,  Edward,  108. 
Livingston,  Maturin,  108. 
Livingston,  Peter  R.,  117. 
Livingston,  Philip,  108. 
Livingston,  Robert  R. (Chancellor),  108. 
Livingston,  Robert  R.  (Judge),  108. 
Livingston,  Walter,  108. 
Livingston,  William  S.,  108. 
Locker-Lampson,  Frederick,  77. 
Loftie,  Rev.  W.  J.,  78. 
Logan,  James,  103. 
Loggan,  David,  xxvii. 
Longfellow,  H.  W.,  122. 
Lord,  113. 
Lorna  Doone,  128. 
Louis  XV.,  xix,  16. 
Louis  XVI.,  17,  22. 
Lowell,  John,  117. 
Ludlow,  Edmund,  43. 
Ludwell,  91. 
Lullin,  Amadin,  145. 
Lumisden,  Andrew,  xxvi. 
du  Luys,  Gauthier,  17. 
du  Luys,  Hordal,  17. 
du  Luys,  Nicholas  Francois  Alexander 
de  Haldat,  18. 

M 

Macaulay,  Lord,  43,  67. 

Mackay,  91. 

McKenzie,  91. 

McTavish,  93. 

Magdalene  College  Library,  xxii. 

Mahoncy,  xxvi. 


154 


Index 


de  Maintenon,  Marquise,  xix, 

Maioli,  Thomas,  25,  142. 

Maloy,  143. 

Manigault,  Peter,  94. 

Manutius,  Aldus,  142. 

Marat,  21. 

Marks,  H.  Stacy,  xxviii,  82. 

Marlborough,  Sarah,  Duchess  of,  38. 

Marshall,  VVilliam,  xxvii,  145. 

Marshall,  John,  91. 

Martin  Luther,  xxix. 

Mary,  Princess,  xxviii. 

Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  123. 

Matthews,  xxvi. 

Matthews,  Brander,  xxviii. 

Maverick,    Peter    Rushton,    xxx,    100, 

104,  107,  108,  115,  117,  124. 
Maximilian,  xv. 

Maximilian,  Emperor  of  Mexico,  25. 
Maxcy,  93. 
Mazarin,  13. 

Means,  Rev.  Stewart,  132. 
Menage,  Gilles,  16. 
Mercer,  91. 
"  Meschianza,"  102. 
Middleton,  Arthur,  94. 
Middleton,  John  Izard,  94. 
Mildeberger,  Christopher,  no. 
Millais,  Sir  J.  E.,  74. 
Minot,  120. 
Mitford,  xxvi. 
Monmouth,  39,  66. 
Monselet,  Charles,  xx,  29. 
Montagu,  Lady  Mary  Wortley,  58. 
Moore,  68. 

Moore,  John,  D.D.,  37. 
Morgan,  John,  97. 
Morris,  Lewis,  106. 
Morris,  Gouverneur,  106. 
Morris,  Robert,  loi. 
Morris,  Colonel  Roger,  105,  106. 
Morris,  Thomas,  loi. 
Mountaine,  xxvii. 
de  Moustier,  Count,  100. 
Moxon,  Hannah,  85. 
Munich,  8. 
Murray,  91. 
Musgrave,  113. 

N 

Nack,  John  Bernard,  6, 
Napoleon  L,  xx,  23,  88,  108. 
Napoleon  II  I.,  25. 
Napoleon,  Prince  Louis,  61. 
Nash,  Beau,  64. 
Necker,  Jacques,  22. 


Nelson,  56. 

New  York,  Bishop  of,  108. 

Newburyport  Athenasum,  123. 

Newell,  Timothy,  120. 

Noel,  68. 

Norcross,  Mary  E.,  133. 

Norris,  Isaac,  100. 

Northboume,  Lord,  76. 

North  Carolina,  University  of,  93. 

Nuremberg,  4. 

O 

Ogden,  III. 
Oliver,  Andrew,  120. 
Ord,  George,  97. 
Orford,  Earl  of,  52. 
d'Orsay,  Count,  61,  62. 
Osterlander,  6. 
Otis,  James,  120. 
Oxford,  Lady,  xxvi. 
Oxford  University,  36. 


Page,  91. 

Page,  Thomas,  xxx. 

Panard,  24. 

Paris,  21,  22,  23. 

Parke,  gi. 

Parsons,  Alfred,  76. 

Partridge,  Bernhard,  77. 

Paulding,  iii. 

Paulet,  Lord  Nassau,  46. 

Pauletus,  John,  47. 

Pelliam,  F^eter,  116. 

Penn,  Hannah  Callowhill,  95. 

Penn,  Thomas,  95,  96. 

Penn,  William,  xxx,  94,  96,  103. 

Pepperell,  Sir  William,  116,  120. 

Pepys,  xxi. 

Perkins,  Thomas  H.,  121. 

Petau,  Alexander,  xviii. 

Petit,  13. 

Petrarca,  Guiseppe,  xvi, 

Petrarch,  142. 

Philadelphia  Library  Company,  104. 

Phillips,  Samuel,  121. 

Phillipse,  Frederick,  105. 

Pierce,  in. 

de  Piis,  Antoine  Pierre  Augustin,  24. 

Pindar,  Elizabeth,  35. 

Pine,  John,  xxvii,  37,  145. 

Pinfold,  Charles,  13,  125. 

Pintard,  in. 

Piranezi,  Giovanni  Battista,  40,  142. 

Pirckheimcr,  Wilibald,  xv,  xxxiv. 

Place,  James,  67. 

Pocahontas,  91. 


Index 


SS 


Poe,  143. 

de  Poitiers,  Diane,  xix,  29. 

Pollard,  Joseph,  41. 

Pomer,  Hector,  4. 

Pomfret,  Countess  of,  xxvii,  39. 

de  Pompadour,  Marquise,  xix. 

Popham,  III. 

Porcellian  Society  (Harvard  College), 

123. 
Porter,  Josephine  E.  S.,  132. 
Poulet-Malassis,  27. 
Power,  91. 

Pownall,  Thomas,  94. 
Prideaux,  Miss  S.  T.,  xxvii. 
Priestley,  Joseph,  xxvi,  102. 
Prior,  Matthew,  34. 
Prosper-M6rim6e,  xx,  28. 
Provost,  Samuel,  108. 
Pye,  Henry  James,  65,  66. 


Quarles,  145. 
Quincy,  Josiah,  121. 


Ragman's  Roll,  44. 

Ramsay,  Allan,  59. 

Randolph,  John,  of  Roanoke,  90. 

Randolph,  Peyton,  90. 

Read,  Charles,  93. 

R6camier,  Madame,  23,  94. 

Reed,  113. 

Renwick,  134. 

de  Resney,  Bibliotheque,  26. 

Revere,    Paul,    xxxi,    xxxiii,   115,  117, 

118,  119,  124,  143. 
Richelieu,  13. 

Richmond,  Duchess  of,  xxvi, 
"  Ridd,  John,"  128. 
Rittenhouse,  100. 
Robbins,  114. 
Robertson,  Eben,  125. 
Robethon,  35. 
Robins,  George,  51. 
Robinson,  Colonel  Beverley,  106, 
Robinson,  George  F.,  42. 
Robinson,  William,  80. 
Rockingham,  57. 
Rogers,  Samuel,  67,  68. 
Roland,  Madame,  20,  22. 
Rollinson,  Charles  P.,  124. 
Rollinson,  William,  xxx. 
Rome,  m. 
Roubillac,  122. 
Rousseau,  23. 
Rowfant  Club  (Cleveland),  xxxv,  129. 


Roxburghe  Club  (London),  71. 

Royal,  Elizabeth,  120. 

Royal,  Isaac,  121. 

Ruette,  Antiene,  15. 

Rush,  Dr.  Benjamin,  96,  99,  100. 

Rutgers,  iii. 


St.  Christopher,  3. 

"  St.  Christopher  of  1423,"  xiii. 

St.  Clair,  Sir  John,  102. 

St.  Hilaire,  6. 

St.  Lawrence,  5. 

Sands,  Miss  M.  M.,  132. 

Sargeant,  Jacob,  113. 

Sargeant,  George  D.,  60. 

Sargent,  Epes,  xxxiii,  117,  118. 

Saltier,  Joseph,  xvii,  9. 

Saulnier,  13. 

Saye  and  Sele,  Lord,  112. 

Schinz,  C.  S.,  7. 

Schrobenhauser,  9. 

Schuyler,  iii. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  44,  73,  78. 

Scott,  William  Bell,  75. 

Sedgwick,  in. 

Sedgwick,  Robert,  134. 

Seguier,  Pierre,  14,  15. 

Selfridge,  Thomas  O.,  121. 

Senefelder,  8. 

Sette  of  Odd  Volumes  (London),  82. 

Shakespeare,  67,  142. 

Shelley,  23,  68. 

Sherborn,  Charles  William,  xxvii,  xxxVj 

80,  131. 
Sherwin,  xxvii. 
Shewell,  Miss,  98. 
Shippen,  Edward,  102. 
Shippen,  the  Misses,  102. 
Shubrick,  Thomas,  94. 
Siebmacher,  Hans,  xv. 
Sill,  Howard,  128. 
Skinner,  J.,  xxvii. 
Skipwith,  91. 
Smith,  III. 

Smith,  Sidney  L.,  132,  133. 
Smithers,  James,  xxxi,  124. 
Snow,  120. 
Social    Friends'    Society    (Dartmouth 

College),  123. 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in 

Foreign  Parts,  119. 
Solis,  Virgil,  xv. 
Sophia,  Princess,  xxvi. 
Sophie,  Princess,  i6. 
Southey,  Robert,  xxvi,  66. 


,56 


1  iidex 


Sparhawk,  120. 
Sparrow,  T.,  124. 
Spenceley,  J.  Winfred,  131. 
Spooner,  Joshua,  117. 
Spotswood,  91. 
Sprigg.  93- 

dc  Stael,  Madame,  21,  23,  94. 
Stanhope,  Philip  Dormer,  53. 
Sterne,  Laurence,  48,  49,  122. 
Stevenson,  Robert  Louis,  81. 
Stevenson,  John  Hall,  48. 
Stewart,  in. 
Stewart,  Anthony,  93. 
Stirling,  Catharine,  109. 
Stirling,  Lord,  109. 
Stith,  William,  91. 
Stockton,  Richard,  93. 
Stoddard,  E.  G.,  132. 
Stone,  III. 
Storey,  G.  A.,  93. 
Stothard,  67. 

Strange,  Sir  Robert,  xxvii. 
Strawberry  Hill,  51,  54,  56,  59. 
Strode,  William,  146. 
Suchet,  Mar^chal,  xx. 
Swan,  James,  121. 
Sweden,  xx. 

Swett,  John  Barnard,  121. 
Swift,  Dean,  xxvii,  34. 
Switzerland,  xx. 
Sykes,  Christopher,  74. 


de  Tabley,  Lord,  xxiii,  xxv,  74. 
Tadema,  L.  Alma,  76. 
Taylor,  Charles  H.,  Jr.,  134. 
Ten  Broeck,  in. 
Tennyson,  Lord,  xxvi,  77. 
Terray,  18. 

Thackara,  James,  93,  124. 
Thackeray,  xxxiv,  74. 
Thanet,  46. 

Thomas,  Isaiah,  120,  121. 
Thompson,  Dr.  James  M.,  131. 
Tiller,  Samuel,  103,  104. 
Tomlinson,  in. 

Townshend,  Secretary  of  State  (Eng- 
land), 37. 
Trapp,  Dr.,  36. 
Trenchard,  James,  93,  124. 
'I'resham,  xxi. 
Trew,  Christopher,  5. 
Trollope,  Anthony,  xxvi,  77. 
Troschel,  Johann,  xv. 
Troth,  Henry,  103. 
Troy,  Rev.  J.  B.,  133. 


Tucker,  91. 

Tupper,  xxvi. 

Turberville,  91. 

Turner,  James,  xxxiii,  102,  124,  146. 

Tyler,  120. 

Tyler,  Andrew,  117. 

Tyler,  Miriam,  121. 

Tyrconnel,  Earl  of,  47. 

U 
Ulm,  3. 

Ulster  King  of  Arms,  81. 
Usher,  114. 
Uzanne,  Octave,  xx. 


Vallance,  John,  93,  124. 

Van  Berkel,  in. 

Van  Buren,  in. 

Van  Cortlandt,  107. 

Van  Ness,  in. 

Van  Rensselaer,  107. 

Vander  Aa,  Anna,  4. 

Varick,  in. 

Vassall,  John,  122. 

Vaughan,  Benjamin,  122. 

Vaughan,  Samuel,  125. 

de  Vautoux,  Claud  Fran9ois  Pagel,  18. 

Vente,  16. 

Vertue,  George,  xxvii. 

de  Vic,  Emeric,  14. 

Vicars,  Sir  Arthur,  81. 

Victoire,  Madame,  xix,  16. 

Viollet-le-Duc,  28. 

Voltaire,  23. 

Vouet,  Simon,  15. 

de  Vries,  Rudolphus,  107. 

W 

Wake,  H.  T.,  72. 

Waldo,  114. 

Walker,  Rev.  George  Leon,  126. 

Walker,  Richard,  126,  127. 

Walker,  Prof.  Williston,  127. 

Wall,  III. 

Wallace,  Joshua  Maddox,  93. 

Waller,  91. 

Walpole,  Horace,  xxvi,  51,  56,  58-60. 

Ward,  Mrs.  Humphry,  78. 

\V'arren,  General,  120. 

Warren,  James,  120. 

Warren,    Hon.   J.   B.  Leicester,  xxiii, 

xxv.  49,  74. 
Washington,  Bushrod,  xxxiii,  90,  98. 
Washington  Book-plate  Society,  128. 


Index 


157 


Washington,  George,  xxxi,  xxxiii,  44, 
88,  95,  100,  104,  105,  116,  117,  142. 

Waterford,  IVlarquis  of,  47. 

Waters,  Thomas,  94. 

Watkins,  iii. 

Watkinson  Library  (Hartford),  59. 

Weigel,  Marie-Elizabeth  Joseph,  12. 

Wells,  121. 

Wem,  Baron  of,  39. 

Wentworth,  117. 

Wentworth-Noel,  69. 

West,  Benjamin,  98,  122. 

West  Indies  Book-plates,  124, 125. 

Wethersfield  (Conn.)  Social  Library, 
114. 

Wetmore,  iii. 

Wetmore,  William,  117. 

Wheeler,  Florence  S.,  133. 

White,  Robert,  xxii. 

Whitridge,  Dr.  J.  B..  94. 

Whitworth,  Charles,  Lord,  59. 

Wicker,  6. 

Wilberforce,  William,  xxvi,  40,  61, 

Wilkes,  John,  50. 

William  IV.,  65. 

William  the  Conqueror,  45. 

Williams,  Colonel,  120. 

Williams,  William,  125. 


Wilson,  J.,  71. 

Winchester,  Marquise  of,  47. 

Winthrop,  John,  112,  122, 

Wisner,  iii. 

Wistar,  100. 

Woffington,  Peg,  57. 

Wolcott,  Oliver,  114. 

Wolseley,  Hon.  Frances  G.,  xxvii,  81. 

Wolseley,  Gen.  Sir  Garnet,  xxvii,  81. 

Wolsey,  Cardinal,  xxi. 

Wood,  Joseph,  102. 

Worcester  Circulating  Library,  123. 

Wormeley  of  Rosegill,  91. 

Wright,  James,  94. 

Wurtemberg,  3.  ^ 

Wynkoop,  iii. 

Wythe,  91. 


Yale  College  Library,  114. 

Yale  College  Societies,  xxxii,  114. 

Yates,  III. 

Yates,  Edmund,  xxvi. 


Zurich,  3. 


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JUN  1  7  197; 

tyj 


A  NO.  DD  18,  45m,  6'76 


LD  21-100m-2,'55 
(B139822)476 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 

BERKELEY,  CA    94720 

®  I 

Ctneral  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


,  r  DFRKELEV  LIBRARIES 


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